La Liga leaders did not start the Catalan derby well. They had to wait until the 53rd minute for their first real opportunity. Frenkie De Jong missed, back-heeling the ball into an opponent's defender's leg after a perfect cross into the penalty area from Lamine Yamal.

Barca also squandered two other chances in the second half. Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia had close-range shots after two corner kicks, but goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic saved both for Espanyol.

Garcia blocked Fernandez in a one-on-one situation in the 39th minute of the Espanyol 0-2 Barca match, La Liga round 19 on the evening of 3/1. Photo: EFE

Barca kept a clean sheet largely thanks to Joan Garcia. In his first match against his former club, following a 30 million USD transfer in the summer of 2025, the 24-year-old goalkeeper neutralized almost every dangerous situation. In the 20th minute, Garcia made his first save, blocking a one-on-one shot from Roberto Fernandez. In the 39th minute, he quickly threw out his hand to deny Pere Mille's close-range header, pushing the ball over the bar.

Garcia continued to shine brightly after halftime. As a result, Barca's high defensive line, employing an offside trap, remained secure despite several errors. In the 63rd minute, Garcia showcased his talent when facing two Espanyol players charging down. Fernandez attempted to dribble past him, but the 24-year-old goalkeeper managed to get a hand to the ball and deflect it.

Espanyol fans also applauded the star who left them when witnessing a situation in the 76th minute. Carlos Romero curled a shot towards the far corner, but Garcia dove quickly to push the ball out for a corner kick.

After several close calls, Barca's luck continued in the final minutes. Bringing on Fermin Lopez, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, and Pedri helped the La Liga leaders improve their precision. In the 86th minute, after breaking through the middle, Lopez passed left to Olmo, who curled a shot into the top corner to open the scoring.

Olmo opened the scoring in the Espanyol 0-2 Barca match in La Liga round 19 on the evening of 3/1. Photo: MD

After the first goal, Barca continued to devastate Espanyol with explosive final minutes. In the 90th minute, Lopez once again became a hero, dribbling to the byline and then passing inside, setting up Lewandowski for a close-range finish, securing the 2-0 victory.

With the derby victory, Barca increased their tally to 49 points and are seven points ahead of Real. Hansi Flick's team can comfortably await Real's match against Betis on the evening of 4/1 in the late game of the same round.

Thanh Quy