By Sachit Subba • Football • Apr 12, 2026 01:25 AM • 28 views
The Catalan Derby is typically a tense contest, but on Saturday at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona delivered a commanding performance. Hansi Flick’s team defeated Espanyol 4-1, with Ferran Torres scoring twice (10th and 25th minutes), Lamine Yamal adding another goal (87th minute), and Marcus Rashford contributing a late goal. The win moved Barcelona to 79 points after 31 matches, placing them nine points ahead of second-place Real Madrid in the LaLiga standings.
Despite the impressive margin, Barcelona's control was not assured. For about thirty minutes in the second half, they appeared vulnerable. between Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal. In the 10th minute, Yamal sent in a corner that caused confusion in the box. Espanyol’s keeper Marko Dmitrovic ran into his own teammate, and Torres headed the ball into an open net. Fifteen minutes later, Yamal set up another goal. He waited on the right side for the right moment, then passed through the defense. Torres stayed onside and calmly scored again.
After halftime, Espanyol began the second half with renewed determination. In the 56th minute, Edu Exposito advanced down the right and delivered a cross that Barcelona’s defence failed to clear. The ball reached Pol Lozano, who scored with a powerful shot into the bottom corner. As a result, the momentum shifted, and Barcelona’s composure faltered while Espanyol increased the pressure.
However, Barcelona soon regained composure, with Lamine Yamal capitalising on Espanyol’s lapse.
Barcelona’s resilience was evident in the 87th minute as home fans grew anxious. Dmitrovic mishandled a long ball from Marc Casado, and his clearance rebounded off Yamal, who scored the third goal. Although it was a difficult concession for Espanyol, Yamal’s scoring instincts prevailed. Marcus Rashford then volleyed in a cross from Frenkie de Jong to complete the scoring. Yet ,” Torres said after the match. He’s right, at least in terms of the math. But with Real Madrid dropping points against Girona, it’s difficult to see anyone catching up. Flick took a risk by fielding his best lineup even with a big Champions League game against Atletico coming up on Tuesday. He wanted to make a point, and he did.
As a result, Barcelona now has 79 points from 31 matches with seven games left in their LaLiga campaign. They travel to Madrid on Tuesday, needing to overcome a two-goal deficit in their European tie. Still, in their own city, they have shown who is in charge. Espanyol goes home disappointed by a scoreline that did not reflect how dominant Barcelona was. On this derby day, Barcelona’s dominance was clear.
