In the much-anticipated clash at Cornellà-El Prat, Barcelona emerged victorious with a 2-0 win against their city rivals, Espanyol, marking an impressive result for matchday 18 of La Liga. The first goal came from Dani Olmo, who scored with a stunning shot in the 85th minute of the second half. Robert Lewandowski sealed the deal with a second goal just before the final whistle, finding the net in the 89th minute.
A standout moment of the match was Olmo’s goal, where he skillfully struck the ball from the edge of the area into the top left corner, thanks to a precise assist from Fermín López.
The best player on the pitch was Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Joan García, who made six crucial saves and successfully completed 25 passes, proving to be a reliable figure for his team.
Another key contributor was Eric García, who excelled in the midfield with 41 accurate passes, recovered possession three times, and made two attempts on goal.
Early in the match, Espanyol’s forward, Roberto Fernández, showcased his skills with a brilliant nutmeg on Eric García, leaving the Barcelona midfielder in the dust.
Espanyol’s coach, José González Álvarez, opted for a 4-4-2 formation featuring Marko Dmitrovic in goal, with a defensive line comprising Omar el Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, and Carlos Romero. The midfield included Tyrhys Dolan, Pol Lozano, Urko Gonzalez, and Pere Milla, while the attack was led by Roberto Fernández and Edu Expósito.
On the other hand, Barcelona’s manager Hans Flick deployed a 4-5-1 setup, with Joan García guarding the goal, supported by Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martín, and Alejandro Balde in defense. The midfield featured Eric García, Frenkie de Jong, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Marcus Rashford, with Ferran Torres taking the lead up front.
The match at Cornellà-El Prat was officiated by referee Víctor García Verdura.
Next up, Espanyol will travel to face Levante, while Barcelona will take on Real Sociedad.
Following this match, Espanyol sits in fifth place with 33 points, while Barcelona leads the league with 49 points.
Substitutions for Espanyol
59’ 2T – Edu Expósito off for Jofre Carreras.
74’ 2T – Roberto Fernández off for Kike García.
81’ 2T – Tyrhys Dolan off for Ramón Terrats; Pere Milla off for Javi Puado.
Yellow Cards for Espanyol:
32’ 2T – Pol Lozano (Unsporting behavior); 32’ 2T – Manolo González (Verbal abuse towards the referee).
Substitutions for Barcelona
45’ 2T – Marcus Rashford off for Fermín López.
63’ 2T – Ferran Torres off for Robert Lewandowski.
64’ 2T – Raphinha off for Dani Olmo; Gerard Martín off for Pedri.