Gerard Piqué’s dream could come true tomorrow. Barcelona can relegate Espanyol with a win or a draw, sending the parakeets down to the second division for the first time in 27 years.
The defender is a frequent critic of Espanyol, his team’s crosstown rivals. Their fans hate him, even crossing the line on more than one occasion with offensive chants directed at his family.
He won’t have to worry about that tomorrow, when the Barcelona derby kicks off without fans in the stands. Barça will want to keep their title hopes alive with a win, but for bottom-of-the-table Espanyol, it’s about survival.