Barcelona stretches La Liga lead to nine points after 4‑1 Catalan derby victory

Lamine Yamal orchestrated Barcelona’s dominant 4‑1 triumph over Espanyol, delivering a decisive assist to Ferran Torres for a late brace that pushed the Catalan giants further ahead in the La Liga race.

Torres opened the scoring in the 10th minute and doubled the lead at the 25th, both times finding the net from Yamal’s precise passes. The teenage playmaker sealed the win in the 87th minute when Espanyol threatened a comeback, and Marcus Rashford added a fourth goal two minutes later after a set‑up from substitute Frenkie de Jong.

Barcelona’s victory comes on the back of Real Madrid’s 1‑1 draw with Girona, allowing the Blaugrana to extend their lead over the capital side to nine points with only seven fixtures remaining.

Both clubs are now focused on bouncing back from recent Champions League quarter‑final setbacks – Barcelona fell 2‑0 to Atletico Madrid, while Real Madrid were edged out 2‑1 by Bayern Munich.

Torres, who entered the season with 16 league goals, had endured a goal drought since 31 January, spanning 13 matches across all competitions. His strike against Espanyol, a well‑timed header from Yamal’s corner, ended the slump and was celebrated with a tongue‑in‑cheek hand‑gesture referencing media criticism of his form.

He completed his brace by deftly redirecting a low pass from Yamal past goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic, showcasing his renewed confidence and link‑up play.

Espanyol’s lone reply came from midfielder Pol Lozano, who capitalised on a loose ball in the 56th minute to make it 2‑1 before Rashford’s late goal restored Barcelona’s control.

De Jong’s return after a month‑long injury layoff proved pivotal, providing the assist that set up Rashford’s strike and highlighting Barcelona’s depth as they chase a second consecutive league title.