This weekend's derby between Barça and Espanyol brings a unique context: it has been 15 years since Espanyol last achieved a league victory against Barça. The last time was in February 2009, at Camp Nou, when the “Pericos” won 1-2, with two goals from Iván de la Peña. Since then, Barça has gone 26 league matches unbeaten against their rivals, with 19 victories and 7 draws. The interesting part? Many of the players who will defend the blaugrana colors this time around were barely kids —or even babies— when Espanyol last took the win. 

Lamine Yamal, the young talent who has dazzled Barça fans, was just a year and a half old at that time. Today, at 17, he’s set to make his derby debut, carrying the responsibility of representing the new generation of homegrown players aiming to extend this impressive unbeaten streak. For him, this is a unique opportunity to etch his name into the history of this classic match, which means so much to fans of both teams.

Gavi, another of Barça’s standout young talents, was only 4 years old in February 2009. He was just a child beginning to kick a ball in his hometown of Los Palacios y Villafranca. Now, at 20, he is a key piece in Barça’s midfield and, alongside Pedri —who was just 6 back then—, orchestrates the team’s play on the pitch. In those days, Pedri was playing on local fields in Tegueste, Tenerife, never imagining he’d one day be part of Camp Nou’s legacy.

Alejandro Balde, the speedster down the left flank, was only 5 years old when Espanyol last beat Barça in La Liga. Even then, he was showing an interest in sports, playing in the parks and plazas of La Verneda neighborhood. Now, at 21, his speed and defensive skills are crucial to keeping Barça’s positive derby record intact. 

Finally, Ansu Fati, one of the first young stars to emerge from this new generation, was just 6 years old and had recently moved to Spain from Guinea-Bissau. Years later, after developing in La Masia, he had the chance to debut with the first team and make a name for himself. Though he’s not currently at the club, he’s still part of a generation marked by this long unbeaten streak against Espanyol.