Barcelona made the most of Real Madrid's false step, taking a convincing 4-1 victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby and breaking away at the top of La Liga by nine points.
Hansi Flick's team started the match in complete dominance, controlling the tempo and possession of the ball from the opening minutes. The advantage came quickly, when Ferran Torres headed home a corner kick from Lamine Yamal.
The pair combined again later, with Yamal providing a brilliant assist and Torres taking advantage to score the second goal, giving Barcelona complete composure and control of the first half.
In the second half, Espanyol managed to temporarily return to the game with a beautiful goal from Pol Lozano, which narrowed the gap and gave a brief moment of hope to the hosts.
However, Barcelona's reaction was immediate. Lamine Yamal restored their lead with a third goal after a quick and fluid move, practically sealing the match. In the end, Marcus Rashford completed the 4-1, capping off a successful evening for the Catalans.
With this victory, Barcelona significantly strengthens its position at the top of the table and continues its excellent form in the championship, while Espanyol remains in a results crisis, without a win in the final weeks of the season.
