Twelve video games. Eleven wins. Forty objectives. FC Barcelona have continued their relentless kind by extending their unbeaten run within the Barcelona derby to an astonishing 27 video games.
As in so many matches this season, Barça bought the job accomplished rapidly. Three objectives up after half an hour of play, there was by no means actually any doubt how this one was going to finish, however to their credit score Espanyol did their greatest to forestall the inevitable.
Barça eased off within the second half. With good purpose, for the job was already nearly as good as accomplished. However that did permit Espanyol possibilities to get again within the recreation, and the blue-and-whites really scored 4 instances. Luckily, solely one of many 4 handed the VAR take a look at, and though the victory wasn’t fairly as comfy as one may need suspected early on, the three factors have been by no means in any actual doubt.
Poignant minute’s silence
In fact, that is the sport that members of each groups insisted maybe mustn’t have been performed in any respect. Given the tragic occasions of the previous couple of days, soccer is much from individuals’s minds in Spain proper now. However these issues are past the membership’s management, and an impeccably noticed minute’s silence earlier than the sport confirmed simply how a lot the blaugrana neighborhood stands with the victims of the disaster.
Olmo on the double
However on with the sport, and Barça made their superiority inform from the very begin. The derby was nearly as good as determined earlier than the half-time whistle had blown.
The house facet already led 3-0, with two of the objectives coming from Dani Olmo, bvack within the beginning line-up right now and as insatiable as he was earlier than his damage.
He solely wanted 12 minutes to get the primary. Lamine Yamal flicked the ball exquisitely by the Espanyol defence and Olmo was faster then everybody to pop it at the back of the online.
And the 26-year-old was on course once more simply previous the half hour mark, gathering the ball on the sting of the realm and neatly delivering probably the most excellent of finishes. His fifth purpose of the season, at that time averaging one each 49 minutes.
In between, Raphinha had moved as much as joint second within the Liga goalscoring charts together with his seventh purpose of the season. For this one it was Marc Casadó supplying the by ball, and the Brazilian deftly met the ball to flip it over Espanyol keeper Joan García.
Espanyol maintain battling
Regardless of the seeming inevitability of a humiliating defeat, Espanyol refused to go down with out a combat. Iñaki Peña was actually no bystander, and never solely Jofe Carreras but in addition Alvaro Tejedo really scored, solely to be denied in each circumstances by the narrowest of offside calls.
Moments after the guests has been scuppered by VAR for the second time, Javi Puado had the ball within the Barça internet but once more. It was one other shut name, however this time there was no let-off and Espanyol had one thing on the board.
What had began to appear to be a stroll within the park was now not fairly such a mild stroll. Espanyol then struck as soon as extra, however replays clearly confirmed that ball had gone out of play within the build-up.
However irrespective of how arduous Espanyol tried, the three factors at all times appeared secure, and on a day of disallowed objectives, there was time for another earlier than the ultimate whistle, and this time for Barça as substitute Ansu Fati was flagged for offside within the closing minutes.
With Actual Madrid not enjoying this weekend, the win a minimum of quickly leaves Barça an immense 9 factors clear on the prime of the desk. Subsequent up it’s a visit to Serbia and a midweek Champions League date with Crvena Zvezda, AKA Purple Star Begrade.