Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Barcelona leave it late to snatch victory

Joan Garcia starred on his return to Espanyol as Barcelona claimed a dramatic 2-0 derby victory in La Liga on Saturday night.

Barcelona dominated the ball in the first half but struggled to create any chances of note against a robust Espanyol defence, while the hosts were only denied the lead by a super stop from Joan Garcia, with the game ultimately remaining goalless at the break.

Both teams had plenty of major opportunities to open the scoring throughout the second half, but Garcia's goalkeeping heroics continued to keep Barcelona level, while Marko Dmitrovic also made a number of notable stops to keep Espanyol in the game.

Barcelona took complete control as they pushed for a late winner, and they eventually broke through the resilient Espanyol defence as Dani Olmo fantastically found the top corner, and the visitors swiftly doubled their lead through Robert Lewandowski to seal the victory.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Barcelona struggled to break through the middle of the pitch for almost the entirety of tonight's clash with Espanyol, with the hosts packing the centre of the park to stop any attacks from penetrating their defence.

Meanwhile, Espanyol had several major opportunities as they consistently broke past Barcelona's high-line, but Garcia's repeated heroics, alongside a lack of quality at the final moment, meant the hosts were unable to capitalise on their chances.

That eventually came back to haunt Espanyol, as Barcelona netted a quickfire double in the final minutes of the match to escape with a dramatic 2-0 derby-day victory.

While Manolo Gonzalez will be understandably frustrated and disappointed that his side failed to pick up at least a point today, especially given the mass of major goalscoring opportunities his side squandered, there will be plenty of positives to take away from their meeting against the league leaders.

Meanwhile, all that ultimately matters for Hansi Flick is that his side picked up all three points to move seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table, but the manager will certainly want to see an improved performance in their next outing.

ESPANYOL VS. BARCELONA HIGHLIGHTS

86th min: Espanyol 0-1 Barcelona (Dani Olmo)

Olmo breaks the deadlock with a stunner!

Fermin Lopez receives the ball and skilfully spins away from his marker and races towards the Espanyol penalty area.

Lopez gets to just outside the box and lays it out wide to Olmo, who curls a sublime first-time effort into the top right corner.

90th min: Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona (Robert Lewandowski)

Lewandowski doubles the lead and surely seals the win!

Lopez drives down the right side of the pitch and into the penalty area, getting to the byline and pulling it back to Lewandowski.

Lewandowski clips the ball into the air, and the ball deflects off the striker's body and into the back of the net.

MAN OF THE MATCH - JOAN GARCIA

Reports before kick-off stated that Garcia would face a hostile return to his former club, but it ended up being a night to remember for the Barcelona goalkeeper.

Garcia made a massive six saves throughout the match, preventing 1.73 expected goals, including a particularly notable stop from point-blank range in the first 45 minutes.

While Garcia's heroics ensured Barcelona remained level in the match and were able to secure the late win, Lopez also deserves a mention, with the substitute registering both assists as Barcelona claimed the win.

ESPANYOL VS. BARCELONA MATCH STATS

Possession: Espanyol 31%-69% Barcelona

Shots: Espanyol 14-15 Barcelona

Shots on target: Espanyol 7-6 Barcelona

Corners: Espanyol 5-7 Barcelona

Fouls: Espanyol 10-14 Barcelona

BEST STATS

3 - FC Barcelona only attempted three shots in the first 45 minutes of their match against Espanyol, their lowest tally in the first half of a LaLiga game this season. Pressure. pic.twitter.com/G9SiXsdo0e
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 3, 2026

6 - Joan García is the first FC Barcelona goalkeeper to make six saves in a LaLiga game without conceding since Marc-André ter Stegen against Real Sociedad in November 2023 (also six). Wall. pic.twitter.com/hKDNl7jMSy
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 3, 2026

WHAT NEXT?

Barcelona's focus will briefly shift to the Supercopa de Espana, with a clash against Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals awaiting Hansi Flick's side on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Espanyol have a week-long break to rest, recover and prepare for their La Liga matchday 19 meeting with Levante next Sunday.