Barcelona Extend Lead at Top of La Liga with Dominant Win over Espanyol

Barcelona widened their lead in La Liga to nine points with a decisive 3-1 victory over city rivals Espanyol. The league leaders, managed by Hansi Flick, maintained their strong early season performance, continuing their winning streak and keeping Real Madrid in their rearview mirror.

Fresh off a high from last week's commanding win in El Clasico, Barcelona's attacking prowess was evident once again. Teenage winger Lamine Yamal showcased his skill early in the game, delivering a precise outside-of-the-foot cross that Dani Olmo directed off the crossbar to score in the 12th minute.

In the 23rd minute, Marc Casado followed up with another sharp play, threading a ball through Espanyol's defense to Raphinha, who timed his run and converted smoothly for Barca's second goal.

Espanyol, struggling to break through Barcelona's high defensive line, had two close calls nullified by VAR for offside. A setup from Omar el Hilali to Jofre Carreras was initially ruled a goal, but was overturned after review. Later, Alvaro Tejero's shot early in the second half was also disallowed due to a tight offside decision.

Dani Olmo struck again before halftime, scoring his second goal with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, putting Barcelona comfortably at 3-0. Espanyol captain Javi Puado managed to pull one back for the visitors, scoring in the 63rd minute at the far post.

Despite Espanyol's late efforts, they were ultimately outmatched, marking their 27th straight derby without a win against Barcelona. Espanyol, positioned fourth from the bottom, have lost six of their last seven La Liga matches.

Under Flick, Barcelona have won 11 of their 12 league matches, with their only defeat at Osasuna in late September. Since then, they have scored 24 goals across six consecutive victories. Next up, they face Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday, aiming to keep their strong form alive.

In other La Liga action on Sunday, Atletico Madrid secured a 2-0 win over Las Palmas, bringing them within a point of second-placed Real Madrid.