On we go again.

Here come the players, what will Ernesto Valverde have said to his Barca troops at HT?

Toot toot, there goes the half time whistle.

Barca boss Ernesto Valverde not looking too pleased as he trots down the tunnel.

No penalty, correct decision.

Are Barcelona about to get a penalty as Philippe Coutinho goes down in the box?

One minute added on in the first half.

But when you have Lionel Messi in your side, you always need to stay wary.

A mis-cued clearance falls into the path of the Barca skipper eight yards out, but the Argentine somehow drags it wide.

Five to go to half time.

Espanyol have looked comfortable here you know. They've got their tactics spot on.

Espanyol are looking like they can cause problems on the counter.

Victor Sanchez gets in behind from Esteban Granero's pass, but the pull back towards the front post is poked to safety by Barca defender Clement Lenglet.

The free-kick from Lionel Messi is straight into the wall.

Now then.

Lionel Messi brought down on the edge of the box by Esteban Granero's lunging challenge, though he does get a slight touch on the ball, and the Barcelona captain gestures for a booking.

Not good that.

WHAT A SAVE!

Lionel Messi whips in a free-kick towards the front post which is flicked on by Gerard Pique towards goal, but ex-Real Madrid and AC Milan goalkeeper Diego Lopez flings him through the air to tip the ball away.

That was flying towards the top corner.

Espanyol striker Wu Lei watches on from the bench as he is not fit to start.

Came back from international duty with China with some sort of injury apparently.

Barca getting closer?

Jordi Alba picks out Luis Suarez in the area and the Uruguayan controls it instantaneously, but the snap shot is smacked a yard wide.

Great counter, inches wide.

Lionel Messi starts it with a ball over the top to Luis Suarez, who has not support and has to hold it up.

In comes the marauding Croatian Ivan Rakitic, but the shot across the face of goal from the edge of the box sails just wide.

Looked like going in from this angle.

Philippe Coutinho has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer and you can see why Barcelona might cut their losses on him.

Contributed very little so far.

It's all Barca, they have had 72% possession so far but the Espanyol defender are holding firm.

Oooh, brilliant block.

Lionel Messi sneaks in behind the blue and white defence, though he is yard offside.

He cuts onto his right foot and strike a low shot which is deflected over the crossbar by a sliding away defender.

Espanyol, on the counter, get a sniff of the Barcelona goal for the first time.

Naldo plays a sweeping, cross-field pass to Borja Iglesias on the edge of the box, but the header is very week.

Host Barcelona are Nou Camp-ed inside the Espanyol half, playing quick, incisive football but not quite getting the final pass right...yet.