Barcelona secured their sixth consecutive victory in La Liga with a comfortable 3-1 win over rivals Espanyol at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, extending their lead at the top of the league to nine points.
Dani Olmo opened the scoring early in the 12th minute, finishing off a well-executed Barcelona move.
Captain Raphinha then doubled their lead with a clever chip over the goalkeeper.
Espanyol thought they had equalized when Javi Puado found the net, but VAR ruled it offside.
Just moments later, Olmo struck again, putting Barcelona ahead 3-0 by halftime.
Despite a strong first half, Barcelona experienced a dip in performance after the break, allowing Espanyol to pull one back through Puado’s neat finish.
Espanyol had two additional goals disallowed for offside, and Ansu Fati also saw a late effort ruled out as the match ended.
They will face challenging road trips next, first visiting Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, followed by a league match against Real Sociedad.
On the other hand, Espanyol’s struggles continue, with six defeats in their last seven games, leaving them in a dangerous position as they prepare for a crucial matchup against fellow relegation contenders Valencia.
With their recent form, Espanyol is at risk of another relegation battle after their promotion from Segunda División last season.
Article updated 12 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
