FC Barcelona manage to grab yet another crucial three points, this time against a familiar opponent in RCD Espanyol. Always a tough encounter, but La Blaugrana emerged victorious in the latest Catalan derby. With this win, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona temporarily go nine points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
Two goals from Dani Olmo and one from Raphinha were enough to give Barça all three points from this highly-anticipated fixture that ultimately ended 3-1 in the favor of Hansi Flick’s side. However, even apart from the goalscorers, quite a few players had memorable performances.
Here are the player ratings for the Barcelona players.
Player Ratings:
Inaki Pena: 7.5
A solid first half from the Spanish goalkeeper saw him come off his line right when the back-line needed him to and did not face much trouble apart from that. In the second half, he faced some troublesome shots from the opposition but stood his ground.
Hector Fort: 7.0
A breathe of fresh air in terms of providing Lamine Yamal with a reliable offensive partner on the flank, Hector Fort was consistent both in attack and defense and he clearly made a great case for himself for Hansi Flick to consider giving him more minutes in the future.
Pau Cubarsi: 8.0
Some brilliant lunging tackles and a keen awareness to almost always catch his opponents in an offside position, Pau Cubarsi had yet another great display for Barcelona as he continues to exceed expectations in every game.
Inigo Martinez: 7.5
Alongside Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez was truly a menace for Espanyol to get past. His positional awareness and his defensive efficiency were both key aspects of his game that made life extremely difficult for the opposition.
Alejandro Balde: 8.0
The electric talents of Alejandro Balde up and down on the left flank were quite important for Barcelona to nullify Espanyol as much as possible. When it came to his defensive contributions in particular, Balde was a step above the rest. Also managed to get an assist for one of Dani Olmo’s goals.
Marc Casado: 8.0
A display akin to that of a warrior from start to finish, Marc Casado often found himself on the pitch as a result of the pain he was in for putting his body on the line for Barcelona. He even managed to deliver a sensational assist to Raphinha for Barça’s second goal of the night.
Pedri: 7.5
Kept running the Barcelona midfield no matter which player around him got changed throughout the game. His composure on the ball, ability to pick out his teammates through even the tightest of spaces, Pedri’s presence in this game showcased a young player with the mind of a footballing veteran.
Lamine Yamal: 8.0
Not exactly his brightest display, but that speaks more about his own standards than his general quality of play. Kept the Espanyol defenders on their toes and constantly left them for dead as well. Also managed to get a beautiful assist to his name for the opening goal of the game.
Dani Olmo: 9.0
Upon his return to the starting eleven, Dani Olmo quickly reminded everyone exactly why he was so missed in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. An early brace in the first half, the Spaniard was close to being unplayable for the opposition.
Raphinha: 8.5
In the blink of an eye, Raphinha made a darting run forward and got his goal after coming in contact with a brilliant pass from Marc Casado. Even apart from the goal, the Brazilian forward was brilliant in linking up with his teammates and especially in tight spaces.
Robert Lewandowski: 6.5
The Polish striker was solid when it came to his hold-up play and was good at linking up with his fellow forwards. Unfortunately, however, the Barcelona ace was unable to add any goals to his tally given that he would have hoped for some to add to his tally for the season.
Substitutes:
Frenkie de Jong: 6.5
Unlike his performance against Real Madrid, Frenkie de Jong could not have the same kind of game-changing impact this time around. Solid display in terms of controlling the game, however.
Fermin Lopez: 6.0
Attempted a few outrageous shots at the Espanyol goalkeeper and was one of the more energetic Barcelona players in the second half.
Jules Kounde: 6.0
Decent defensive cameo from the Frenchman.
Gavi: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.
Ansu Fati: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.
