Four years after its last title, FC Barcelona had the opportunity to triumph again, this Sunday evening, during its trip to Espanyol Barcelona, nineteenth. A Catalan derby which could, in fact, allow the Blaugranas to formalize a new coronation in La Liga. With an 11-point lead at kick-off, the Culers went 4-3-3 with Raphinha, Lewandowski and Gavi on the attacking front. Engaged in the terrible race of maintenance, the Pericos opted for a 5-3-2 and counted on an attacking duo composed of Braithwaite and Joselu.
At the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat, Xavi’s men quickly took control of the proceedings. If Pedri did not fit his recovery without control of the right foot (6th), Robert Lewandowski concretized him the domination of Barcelona even before the end of the first quarter of an hour (0-1, 11th). Dominating and carried by the stake, Barça doubled the bet in stride. On a reversal by Pedri, very active, Alex Balde passed Oscar Gil and resumed with the left foot (0-2, 20th). A one-sided meeting where Lewandowski again distinguished himself but this time fell on Pacheco, vigilant on his line (24th). It was only a postponement.
Barça offers the derby and the title!
Just before the break, Raphinha hit and found the Pole at the far post who concluded perfectly (0-3, 40th). On returning from the locker room, the face of this derby did not change… Served by Frenkie De Jong, Koundé dominated Javi Puado and concluded with a powerful header (0-4, 53rd). At the end of the match, Barça was a little more feverish and Espanyol took advantage of it. First refused, the goal of Javi Puado, author of a shot with the right foot on the opening in the axis of Fernando Calero, was finally validated by the VAR (1-4, 73rd). In the process, Joselu stumbled on Marc-André Ter Stegen (76th) but was still rewarded in the dying seconds.
A few seconds before the final whistle, the Pericos striker scored from close range and thus allowed his side to save the honor. Insufficient, however, to reverse the trend. With this great success (4-2), FC Barcelona, with a 14-point lead over Real Madrid with 4 games remaining, confirms its 27th title of Spanish Champion. The Spanish second division is approaching, on the other hand, for the men of Luis Garcia Fernandez. A year and a half after his arrival on the bench and four months after winning his first trophy at the head of FC Barcelona (the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid, 3-1), Xavi Hernandez thus brings his club back to the top of the national hierarchy.
The official line-ups at kick-off
Espanyol Barcelona starting XI
FC Barcelona XI
Pub. THE
update the