After years with Espanyol bouncing between the second and first divisions, the Barcelona derby is back in full swing. Two teams firing on all cylinders, plenty of homegrown players, evenly matched on the pitch, and fans eagerly awaiting match day—a feeling that hasn't always been present for Barcelona supporters lately. Luckily, they were able to talk about football. It was needed.

Barça are back in La Liga, two years later, thanks to a win at Cornellà-El Prat. The effectiveness of the match was impressive. There was no sardana, but there was a timid Barça celebration on the pitch, which was cut short by the sprinklers and the Espanyol players, who, along with Hansi Flick, urged the Blaugranas to go to the locker room to celebrate La Liga with the RCDE Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup.