Barcelona cruised to a commanding 4-1 victory over city rivals RCD Espanyol in the Catalan derby at Camp Nou, extending their lead at the top of La Liga to nine points ahead of Real Madrid.
The defending champions capitalised on Madrid’s slip a day earlier, after Girona FC held Los Blancos to a 1-1 draw, by delivering a dominant performance in front of their home fans.
Barcelona controlled proceedings for much of the game, with Ferran Torres netting a brace to punish Espanyol’s defensive lapses and put the hosts firmly in charge.
Espanyol showed brief resistance in the second half when Pol Lozano pulled one back, but they struggled to maintain any real pressure as Barcelona quickly reasserted control.
Late goals sealed the emphatic win, as Lamine Yamal made it 3-1 in the 87th minute with a simple finish into an empty net, before Marcus Rashford added a fourth two minutes later, converting a delicate assist from Frenkie de Jong.
The victory strengthens Barcelona’s grip on the title race, giving them a significant cushion at the summit with just seven matches remaining.
