Dani Olmo and Raphinha Star in First-Half Blitz as Espanyol Fights Back in Disrupted Second Half
Barcelona clinched a 3-1 win over Espanyol in a heated La Liga clash, with two first-half goals from Dani Olmo and a sublime chip from Raphinha setting the stage for an early victory. The Catalans wrapped up the three points within the first half-hour, but Espanyol came alive in the second half, scoring once and seeing several offside calls deny them more, leaving both sides unsatisfied with the final whistle.
The game began with Olmo having two early chances, narrowly missing a header from Hector Fort’s cross before sending a tame shot to Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. However, Espanyol’s defense soon faltered as Lamine Yamal’s perfectly placed pass allowed Olmo to find the net 12 minutes in, ricocheting off the post to give Barcelona a deserved lead.
Ten minutes later, Raphinha doubled the advantage with a deft chip over the onrushing Garcia, set up by a sharp pass from Marc Casado. Barcelona’s momentum continued, and Olmo thundered home his second from the edge of the area just before halftime, giving the hosts a commanding 3-0 lead.
Espanyol fought back in the second half, and although a Jofre Carreras goal was ruled out by VAR for offside, Javier Puado finally broke through in the 63rd minute with a back-post tap-in. Espanyol pressed for more, only to see another goal disallowed due to the ball crossing the touchline in the build-up. Despite Barcelona’s dominant start, home fans grew restless as the team struggled to regain control, a lapse that manager Hansi Flick will likely address.
Ultimately, Barcelona maintained their lead, but Flick is sure to remind his players of the risks of losing focus mid-game, especially with the La Liga title race intensifying.
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