Barcelona continued their stunning form in La Liga with a 4-0 win over Espanyol on Sunday.
An incredible first period saw them lead 4-0 at the interval with a double from Pedro and strikes from Lionel Messi and Xavi.
Barcelona continued to dominate in the second period, but chances remained at a premium with the damage done in the opening half of football.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two Spanish rivals.
Match statistics:
Barcelona:
Shots: 14
On target: 8
Possession: 78%
Corners: 7
Fouls: 3
Espanyol:
Shots: 5
On target: 1
Possession: 22%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 17
Was the result fair?
There isn't a situation where anything other than a comfortable Barcelona victory would have reflected the match. The Catalan outfit dominated the evening from start to finish and could have entered the break more than four goals ahead. The second half was more of a laboured affair, but the damage had already been done as Barcelona secured their 12th home win of the season.
Barcelona's performance
7/10. Barcelona were at their wonderful best this evening. A lot can be said for their attacking ability, but the way they hound back possession is quite sensational. On this form, there is not a team in world football that can get anywhere near them. Their performance dipped in the second period as they played in second gear, but they could have turned it on at any given moment.
Espanyol's performance
Unfortunately, Espanyol were as poor as you could ever imagine a La Liga side to be. They were up against the best team in the world, but their inability to press in midfield cost them dearly. They did improve after the interval, but never looked capable of opening their tally at any point during the 90 minutes.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Pedro: The Spaniard had gone 22 matches without a goal before this evening. However, he struck a fine double in the opening period to set his side on their way. Expect him to be among the goals in the coming weeks.
Biggest gaffe of the match
The defending from Espanyol in the opening 30 minutes was laughable. They neglected the basics of following their man as the Catalan outfit bobbed and weaved their way into the penalty area. It is easy to see how they are in deep relegation trouble.
Referee performance
Jesus Gil had a productive 90 minutes of action this evening. He allowed the match to flow in the correct areas, but was quick on the scene when necessary. Neither side will have had many complaints about his performance, although the penalty incident was slightly soft.
What next?
Barcelona: Barcelona will attempt to secure their passage into the next round of the Copa del Rey when they face Cordoba on Thursday before facing Malaga in the league next Sunday.
Espanyol: Espanyol were knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the early stages and therefore have a free week. Their next league clash is at home against Celta Vigo next Saturday.
Matt Law
