La Liga Matchday 18 Roundup: Barcelona Edge Espanyol As Garcia Steals Derby

FC Barcelona strengthened their grip at the top of La Liga with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Espanyol in a fiercely contested Catalan derby in Matchday 18 on Saturday, despite being second-best for large stretches of the match.

The turning point came late, as Fermin Lopez emerged from the bench to provide two assists in the final minutes. Substitutes Dani Olmo (86’) and Robert Lewandowski (90’) converted to seal victory for the league leaders, rescuing a result from what had been a testing evening.

While the scoreline favoured Barcelona, the standout performer was goalkeeper Joan Garcia, whose commanding display silenced a hostile crowd in his return to the RCDE Stadium.

Joan Garcia Shines In Hostile Return

Garcia, making his first appearance at Espanyol since leaving the club for local rivals Barcelona last summer, was subjected to sustained abuse from home supporters.

Espanyol even installed a thin mesh barrier behind the goal to prevent objects from being thrown, while sections of fans displayed signs portraying Garcia as a rat in Barcelona’s blue and garnet colours.

The hostility did little to unsettle the goalkeeper, who produced a series of outstanding saves to deny Pere Milla and Roberto Fernandez. He continued to frustrate an Espanyol side that dominated proceedings until the closing stages.

Garcia’s big moment arrived in the 39th minute, when he reacted instinctively to claw away Milla’s point-blank header with a one-handed reflex save. He followed that up with three crucial stops in the second half to preserve Barcelona’s clean sheet.

“Espanyol played a fantastic game. We didn’t deserve it,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick admitted after the match. “I have to say thank you to Joan Garcia. He played an unbelievable match. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”

Flick also credited Espanyol coach Manolo Gonzalez for the role he played in García’s development last season. “He plays for us now and he has played unbelievable all season. The clean sheet today was his responsibility.”

Late Surge Ends Espanyol Winning Run

Barcelona finally broke through when Olmo delicately lifted Fermin’s pass over Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic. Moments later, Fermin skipped past his marker inside the box before laying off for Lewandowski, who finished clinically to wrap up the contest.

For Espanyol, the defeat was a bitter blow, ending a five-match winning streak – their best run since the 1998-99 season – and leaving them fifth in the La Liga table. “Today was a day to win, and we let it get away from us,” Espanyol manager Gonzalez said.

Barcelona’s victory extended their lead over second-placed Real Madrid to seven points, with Los Blancos set to host Real Betis on Sunday. Flick’s side next travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup from January 7-11, alongside Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao.

Villarreal Bounce Back, Valencia Slide

Elsewhere on Matchday 18, Villarreal returned to winning ways with a 3-1 away victory over Elche, ending a three-match losing run across La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Copa del Rey.

The result kept Villarreal third in the standings, 11 points behind Barcelona, while handing Elche their first home defeat since returning to the top flight.

Borja Iglesias struck twice as Celta Vigo thrashed Valencia 4-1, leaving Valencia perilously close to the relegation zone with just one win in 13 league matches. Valencia’s coach, Carlos Corberan, later said that “the numbers speak for themselves”.

In another fixture, Athletic Bilbao were held to a 1-1 draw away at CA Osasuna.

(With AP Inputs)