Easily the most important regular fixture in the city of Barcelona’s sporting calendar, LALIGA EA SPORTS’ ELDERBI DE BARCELONA brings together FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol in a game that features huge local pride while showcasing the iconic city to the world.  

Others to wear both Blaugrana and Blanquiazul colours through the years include László Kubala the city, three decades before the establishment of LALIGA. There have also been derbies played through the years in the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, Copa Catalonia and the now defunct Fairs Cup. While 27-time LALIGA EA SPORTS winners FC Barcelona have often come out on top, RCD Espanyol are always eager to upset their historically more successful neighbours. 

The two clubs had similar but ultimately different origins at the turn of the 20th century. FC Barcelona were established by Swiss student Hans Gamper in November 1899, with many of the founding members coming from the city’s cosmopolitan ex-pat community. RCD Espanyol were set up the following October, with locally-born engineering student Ángel Rodríguez Ruiz as president and the team drawn mostly from migrant workers from other Spanish regions such as Andalusia, Extremadura, Galicia and even Madrid.   

The first ELDERBI DE BARCELONA soon took place, on 23rd December 1900, a goalless draw played at the now gone Camp de l'Hotel Casanovas stadium. The rivalry was well-established by the time LALIGA began in 1929. Both clubs were founder members and Barça’s 5-4 victory during that first season remains the highest scoring ELDERBI DE BARCELONA ever. Barça’s biggest victory came early, a 5-0 win in 1933/34, while older RCD Espanyol fans will still recall their side’s record 6-0 success during the 1950/51 LALIGA EA SPORTS campaign. 

A special moment for the city came in 1957 when FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol met in their only Copa del Rey final to date. Barça won 1-0 at the Estadio de Montjuïc, the stadium which later served as RCD Espanyol’s home ground from 1997 until 2009 and where FC Barcelona are temporarily playing today. The teams also met in the 2006/07 Spanish Super Cup, when Barça were LALIGA EA SPORTS champions and RCD Espanyol Copa del Rey holders, with Los Azulgranas running out victorious 4-0 on aggregate. 

Xavi Hernández is the player with the most ELDERBI DE BARCELONA appearances ever (36), while Lionel Messi has the most LALIGA EA SPORTS goals in the fixture with 22, including two hat-tricks and a four-goal ‘poker’ in 2011/12. RCD Espanyol’s top scorer against their cross-city neighbours is Rafael Marañón, with nine between 1974 and 1983, while Raúl Tamudo's famous 'Tamudazo' derby equaliser back in 2007 – which cost FC Barcelona the LALIGA EA SPORTS title – ensured his place in the fixture's history.  

Many players have represented both sides of the city divide, going right back to legendary 1930s goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora, born in the city and now honoured by the award for LALIGA EA SPORTS’ best goalkeeper each season. Others to wear both Blaugrana and Blanquiazul colours through the years include László Kubala, Jordi Cruyff, Ivan de la Peña, Philippe Coutinho and Ernesto Valverde.