Following their euphoric exploits against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, Barcelona picked up right where they left off in the Catalan derby, scoring three beautifully crafted goals in the first half against Espanyol.
Upon his return to the starting XI, Dani Olmo wasted no time opening the scoring. Lamine Yamal provided a sublime trivela pass, which Olmo clinically converted with a first-time finish.
Raphinha then continued his habit of stamping his name on the scoresheet, making a trademark run-in behind the Espanyol defense. Marc Casado met his movement with a beautiful long ball, which Raphinha expertly chipped.
Completing his brace, Olmo scored a worldie from outside the box, taking the aid of a slight deflection but hitting the ball with sheer power to embrace the back of the net.
A massive drop-off in cohesion and compactness followed after the break as signs of fatigue appeared to be creeping in. The result of their decline was a goal by Espanyol who began knocking on Barcelona’s door a fair few times.
Taking advantage of the three goal cushion, Barcelona appeared to lose their sense of fluency and drive, but in the end it was enough to seal another triumphant victory.
Here are our Player Ratings from the Blaugranes’ 3-1 victory against Espanyol.
Inaki Pena: 7.5
Made a couple of great saves and was reliable in coming out of his line. Pena failed to keep the cleansheet, but in fairness there was little he could have done about Javi Puado’s goal.
Hector Fort: 7
It was a decent first half for Fort, who showed some good signs inverting and was also defensively reliable. Lacked some refinement in his decision making, but did not do much wrong in his 78 minutes on the pitch.
Pau Cubarsi: 8
Cubarsi showcased impressive composure playing the ball out from the back, as his partnership with Inigo Martinez continued to thrive. The duo’s sharp positioning frequently caught Espanyol offside, while the 17-year-old sensation stood out with crucial last-ditch tackles and aerial dominance.
Inigo Martinez: 8
The veteran center-back’s distribution in the build-up was spot on, as usual, but he was equally efficient in closing down Espanyol forwards and imposing himself in duels. Played a few lovely long balls to find forwards in promising positions.
Alejandro Balde: 6.5
While Balde was a reliable presence at the back in 1v1 scenarios and impressed with his explosive burts from deep, his inability to operate in sync with the high line saw Barcelona’s offside trap fail to prevent Espanyol’s first goal. Moreover, the left-back was highly wasteful with his crossing.
Marc Casado: 8.5
Niftily turning away from pressure and winning the ball back, Casado delighted thoroughly in the first half. He played a fantastic long ball for Raphinha to earn his third consecutive assist. Was given a well-deserved rest after the break.
Pedri: 8
Poise and perfection—qualities we have come to associate with Pedri week after week. He was once again the glue for Barcelona in the first half, stringing purposeful spells of possession, controlling the tempo and showcasing his excellent press resistance.
However, he was also a major influence off the ball, constantly working his socks off. Lost some steam in the second half, though, with fatigue and disorder plaguing Barcelona’s performance.
Dani Olmo: 9.5
Olmo marked his return to the starting XI with a perfect display. It’s a gift to have a player who combines the tactical intelligence of La Masia with the precision and efficiency honed at Leipzig. He always popped up in the right zones, aiding in the build-up while also dealing dangerous blows in the final third.
His first goal was a stellar first-time finish, but he managed to outdo himself with a brilliant outside-the-box strike to secure his brace.
Lamine Yamal: 9
After showing off his Kopa Trophy in front of the home fans, Yamal was itnent on giving the crowd a show. From roulettes to cheeky backheels, he produced magical moments in the first half.
Although his dribbles did not always come off, the youngster created excellent chances and worked tirelessly in the counter-press. His audacious trivela pass to set up Dani Olmo epitomized his talent—a truly generational player.
Robert Lewandowski: 6.5
Lewandowski could not continue his streak of embracing the back of the net with the Polish talisman unfortunate to not receive regular service. He tried his luck from range a few times but only forced a few good saves from the keeper. Lewandowski’s first touch in the final phase was also a slight let-down at times.
Raphinha: 9
There is simply no stopping the Brazilian. Raphinha roamed across all positions of the front line, switching positions in accordance to the game state. His incredible understanding of space paid off when he scored through Casado’s long ball. Pressed his guts out unsurprisingly and created some good chances.
