Barcelona will finish the weekend with a comfortable nine-point lead atop La Liga, thanks to a spirited 3-1 victory over city rivals Espanyol at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
In front of an enthusiastic home crowd, Barça seized control early, putting in a dominant first-half performance led by a stellar showing from Dani Olmo, and held firm in the second half to secure three valuable points and local bragging rights in the first Barcelona Derby of the season.
Unlike some of their recent matches where they’ve started slow, Barcelona came out firing from the opening whistle.
They quickly took command of the game, controlling possession and orchestrating smooth, incisive attacks that showcased impressive passing and sharp movement in Espanyol’s defensive third.
Barcelona could have opened the scoring multiple times within the first eight minutes but broke the deadlock in the 12th minute with a superb team goal.
Lamine Yamal provided an “outrageous assist,” setting up Dani Olmo, who finished clinically. Barça’s momentum didn’t wane as, just ten minutes later, Raphinha doubled the lead, connecting beautifully with a precise pass from Marc Casadó to put the home team firmly in the driver’s seat.
Espanyol nearly found a way back into the match when Jofre struck what seemed to be a lifeline goal.
However, his effort was ruled offside, validating Hansi Flick’s decision to employ his signature high defensive line, which consistently held Espanyol in check.
Flick’s high-pressing tactic also paid off handsomely as it led to the third goal: Raphinha intercepted the ball deep in Espanyol’s half, and Olmo took advantage, scoring his second goal with a powerful strike from outside the box.
The last 15 minutes of the first half saw the game slow down a bit, with a few stoppages for injuries and fouls disrupting the rhythm.
By halftime, Barça had put in an excellent opening period that had them in full command of the match. The main question now was whether they would press for more goals in the second half or try to conserve energy for upcoming fixtures.
The Blaugrana appeared to relax their intensity coming out of the break, looking slightly off in their passing and defensive coordination.
Espanyol sensed the opportunity and nearly capitalized early in the second half when Álvaro Tejedo found the net, only to be denied by a marginal offside decision.
Barcelona’s sluggishness finally cost them after the hour mark. Espanyol’s Carlos Romero delivered a pinpoint cross that Javi Puado converted, bringing the visitors back within striking distance and injecting some life into the contest.
Puado’s goal served as a wake-up call for Barça, who responded by tightening their grip on possession and carefully managing the game.
Midfield maestros Frenkie de Jong and Pedri were instrumental in regaining control, snuffing out Espanyol’s attempts to gather momentum and helping Barça settle back into a more composed rhythm.
Although they didn’t create many chances in the closing stages, Barça’s game management was enough to secure the win without further incident.
The final whistle brought a well-earned victory for Barcelona—one built on a brilliant first half and a disciplined, if unremarkable, second-half performance. This match might not have been flawless, but Barça did
