Barcelona v Deportivo preview: School's out for the summer... and Xavi is graduating

Barcelona v Deportivo preview: School's out for the summer... and Xavi is graduating

It's an end of season game, with the league already won. It's like the last day of school, after the exams are over. But there's plenty of meaning in Barcelona's clash against Deportivo de la Coruna.

For one, it's Xavi Hernandez's goodbye. Sure, we'll probably see him at the Camp Nou on May 30, for the Copa del Rey final, and maybe again in Berlin on June 6, for the Champions League's conclusion, but this is the last league match he will play in a division that he's won eight times in his 17 seasons (and 24 years) at the club. This is the last time it will be filled with over 90,000 Barcelona supporters, shouting his name. There will be mosaics, tifos, a photocall, a tribute video and probably a speech. A fitting goodbye, ahead of the two finals.

Then there's Thomas Vermaelen, who Luis Enrique says will make his Barcelona debut. Whether that means starting or not, we don't know, but it will be good for the Belgian to get on the pitch and play a few minutes, at the very least. His season has beene an injury-racked disaster, but he's a league champion and better days lie ahead. 

It might have been a good time to play Douglas and/or Martin Montoya, but with Dani Alves set to declare he's not staying beyond the summer, it's only right that he gets a last league start for Barcelona too. The Brazilian's performances in the second half of this season have been nothing short of wonderful.

Pedro, too, might get to play ahead of a potential summer move, even if international sporting director Ariedo Braida -- whom Luis Enrique has not yet met with -- has assured us that the Canary Islander will be staying at the Camp Nou. 

On top of all that, at the end of the game Barcelona will collect their 23rd La Liga trophy, after sealing it with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid last week.

Don't forget, too, that Deportivo de la Coruna are still looking for a win to try and avoid relegation, so will be going at it hammer and tongs - this might prove to be quite a workout for Vermaelen on his comeback. It has been 12 years since Deportivo last beat Barcelona, though.