LaLiga 2026/27 has just begun and the two major representatives of Barcelona football are starting from very different positions. The FC Barcelona defends the title after finishing last season with 94 points, while the Espanyol faces the season with the goal of establishing themselves in the top flight and avoiding the struggles of previous seasons.
The early matches still serve to draw cautious conclusions, although they already offer clues. Statistical models and the various betting houses available in Spain are also beginning to adjust their forecasts, placing Barça among the main contenders for the championship. In the case of Espanyol, the initial expectations revolve around consistently accumulating points and creating distance from the relegation zone.
A Champion Barça Still Under Construction
Hansi Flick starts the season with a squad of immense quality, but with some pending matters. The most notable move in the transfer market has been the signing of Rodri, who arrives to strengthen a midfield already featuring Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Dani Olmo. Additionally, the return of João Cancelo adds more options in the full-back positions.
Up front, questions arise as the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have left the team without a reference centre-forward, at least for now. Flick has experimented during pre-season with Raphinha as a false nine, supported by Lamine Yamal and Karim Adeyemi. The transfer market remains open and the club continues to evaluate options for that position.
Moreover, Barça begins their campaign later due to the calendar resulting from the World Cup. Their debut is set for this Sunday, August 23, at the Martínez Valero against Elche, so there is currently no league result for the azulgrana team to measure their start.
In any case, the projection remains high. Repeating the 94 points from last season requires extraordinary consistency, but the potential of the squad allows for optimism about achieving a figure close to or exceeding 85 points if the team maintains the performance of its key players.
Espanyol Leaves Positive Impressions
The team of Manolo González opened LaLiga with a convincing 3-0 victory against Levante in Cornellà. Roberto Fernández scored two goals and Tyrhys Dolan sealed a win in which Espanyol controlled much of the match.
The second test significantly raised the difficulty. The Real Madrid visited the RCDE Stadium and took all three points with a 1-2 scoreline thanks to a goal from Carlos Espí in the 90th minute. The result left Espanyol with three points from six possible, but also with reasonably positive feelings. Calatrava managed to equalise temporarily and Dmitrovic kept the team afloat during several moments of Madrid's pressure.
Against rivals from their zone, the Espanyol needs to turn Cornellà into a stable source of points; competing as they did against Madrid could allow them to scrape results that will later hold significant value in the standings.
Two Objectives and a Very Long Season
With only two matches played for Espanyol and Barça still yet to kick off, any points calculation is necessarily indicative. For the azulgranas, a tally above 85 points should keep them in the fight for LaLiga. Espanyol would operate in a different scenario: reaching approximately 45 points would, in principle, mean a much calmer season than a struggle for survival until the final dates.
August thus leaves a still provisional picture. Barça is under obligation to fight once again for the title, while Espanyol has begun showing arguments to look a bit higher than the relegation zone. Now it remains to be seen if those initial impressions survive the months when injuries, the European calendar, and the depth of the squads begin to weigh in earnest.
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