Barcelona took a massive three points in the crucial Catalan derby with a spectacular Lamine Yamal show. With this victory, Hansi Flick and his team have almost wrapped their hands around the league title for consecutive years. The timing of this win is even more relieving for Barça, especially after Real Madrid dropped two points in their previous match.
Unexpected Starting XI
With a huge Atlético clash waiting in midweek, no one expected Barcelona to start both Yamal and Pedri against Espanyol. Surprisingly, both players not only started but also played the full 90 minutes and delivered stellar performances. Now, the big question is how the fatigue from this match will affect them in the upcoming UCL fixture. Many fans expected Rooney to feature in the starting XI, but he didn’t even get a single minute, which raises concerns about his role and future in the squad.
Decent Performance with a Crucial Win
The Catalan giants delivered a solid performance in every aspect of the game, scoring four goals. The defense looked shaky at the beginning but gradually found stability as the match progressed. Espanyol tried to exploit Barcelona’s right side, but Araújo, playing as a right back, delivered a commendable performance. Balde also showed significant improvement.
Eric made the most of his opportunity as a starter in midfield alongside Pedri and Gavi. Seeing Gavi regain confidence and get important minutes is a major boost for Barcelona ahead of the upcoming UCL match.
Yamal was on fire throughout the match, registering two assists and one goal, and playing a key role in creating the chance that led to Rashford’s goal from Frenkie’s assist. Ferran Torres scored a brace, which will surely boost his confidence ahead of the big clash against Atlético Madrid. Rashford came on in the 65th minute and scored an important goal. After missing some crucial chances in the last UCL match, fans will be hoping that this goal, assisted beautifully by Pedri, restores his confidence.
What’s Next?
Flick managed to rest or rotate several key players, including Koundé, Martín, Olmo, Cancelo, and Rashford. However, playing Yamal and Pedri for the full 90 minutes could backfire in the UCL, which remains the main concern for fans.
With Frenkie now fully fit and delivering a great cameo off the bench, he is almost certain to start the next match. Olmo is also expected to return to the starting lineup.