La Liga
Barcelona Continues Dominance In The Derbi Barceloní With Victory Over Espanyol
FC Barcelona demonstrated their status as the reigning giants of Catalan football by securing a commanding 3-1 victory against their bitter rivals, Espanyol at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
This win marks Barcelona’s remarkable unbeaten streak of 27 league editions of the Derbi Barceloní, leaving them a provisional nine points clear at the top of La Liga.
A Confident Start for Barça
Barcelona entered this derby on the back of impressive performances, having netted four goals each against heavyweight clubs Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in consecutive fixtures.
This momentum was noticeable as they took the lead just 12 minutes into the match. Following a missed opportunity from Dani Olmo, who headed over the bar, he quickly redeemed himself, displaying sharp awareness and skill.
Receiving a beautifully threaded ball from the promising Lamine Yamal, Olmo fired a shot that careened off the upright and into the net.
Despite their early setback, Espanyol attempted to rally, with Javi Puado narrowly missing the target moments later.
However, Barcelona was unrelenting, and their second goal came swiftly through a well-placed pass from Marc Casadó that found Raphinha unmarked. The Brazilian forward showed his deft touch by delicately chipping the ball over the advancing Joan García, doubling Barcelona’s lead.
Espanyol’s Brief Flicker of Hope
Espanyol, undeterred by their two-goal deficit, had a flicker of hope when Jofre Carreras seemingly scored, only for the goal to be controversially disallowed for offside.
This moment of frustration was quickly followed by Barcelona’s third goal just before halftime. A defensive miscommunication in Espanyol’s backline allowed Alejandro Balde to set up Olmo again, who unleashed a powerful low shot into the bottom-left corner making it 3-0 and leaving the visitors in a perilous position as they headed into the break.
A Shift in Energy After Halftime
Returning from the locker rooms, Espanyol emerged with a renewed sense of purpose, pressing forward with greater urgency.
Their first real opportunity came from a direct free kick by Álvaro Tejero, which was brilliantly saved by Barcelona’s Iñaki Peña.
However, the mounting pressure eventually paid off when Espanyol managed to pull one back. A low cross from Carlos Romero found an unmarked Puado at the near post, allowing him to slot the ball past Peña.
As the match progressed, Espanyol’s spirits lifted, and they even launched another attack that resulted in a goal, only to see it disallowed as the ball had gone out of play before the cross. This served as a reminder to Barcelona that Espanyol still posed a threat and that they needed to seal the contest firmly.
Barcelona’s Unyielding Performance
With the clock ticking down, Barcelona came to terms with the pressing reality that they needed to stabilize the match. Several clear chances to extend their lead went begging, but the home side managed to maintain control and assert their dominance as the match approached its final stretch.
Although Espanyol displayed admirable resilience and moments of creativity, Barcelona’s quality and experience shone through, as they comfortably secured their place at the top of La Liga.
Under Hansi Flick, the Blaugrana have now achieved six consecutive victories, five of which came by margins of three goals or more, laying down an impressive marker for the remainder of the season.
The Road Ahead
With this impressive victory, Barcelona reinforced their superiority over Espanyol and also proved their credentials as serious title contenders. They are now looking formidable, with the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé likely to think twice before facing this Barcelona side.
Meanwhile, Espanyol remains mired in difficulties, hovering just a point above the relegation zone and yet to register an away win in the current league campaign (D1, L5).
