Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory over rivals Espanyol in the Catalan derby, with late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski. The win extended Barcelona's lead at the top of LaLiga to seven points over Real Madrid. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia starred with several key saves on his return to his former club.
The Catalan derby at RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat lived up to its billing as a tense affair. Espanyol, who had won their previous five LaLiga matches before the winter break, entered the game in fifth place and unbeaten in five outings under manager Manolo González. They created the better chances early on, with striker Roberto Fernández proving a constant threat.
Barcelona, four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table, relied heavily on goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who had controversially moved from Espanyol to Barcelona last summer. Garcia made a crucial save in the 22nd minute, thwarting Fernández after a through ball from Edu Expósito. He later fingertip-saved a Fernández header onto the crossbar and denied him again when he rounded the keeper, only for Jules Koundé to clear off the line.
Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović also shone, denying Koundé at the back post early in the second half and later preventing Eric Garcia from scoring. Despite their dominance, Espanyol could not break the deadlock. The game turned in the 86th minute when Olmo, returning from injury, curled a sublime shot into the top-right corner.
Lewandowski sealed the points four minutes later, turning in a deflected effort from Fermín López on the break. Barcelona's starting lineup featured Marcus Rashford up front alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, with Olmo and Lewandowski introduced from the bench. Pedri was also among the substitutes.
This result sends Barcelona into their next match against Real Betis with momentum, while Espanyol's strong form faces a setback.
