Olmo and Lewandowski strike late as Barcelona win derby; Villarreal rise to third; Celta routs Valencia
BARCELONA — La Liga leader Barcelona left it late but left Cornellà with the points, beating Espanyol 2-0 in the city derby on Saturday behind an 86th-minute stunner from Dani Olmo and a stoppage-time clincher from Robert Lewandowski. Former Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, jeered throughout by the home crowd after his summer switch across the city, was Barcelona’s other match-winner with a string of saves that frustrated an in-form Espanyol chasing a sixth straight league victory.
- Advertisement -
The result kept Barcelona atop La Liga and punctured Espanyol’s winning surge, which had been powered by aggressive, front-foot football. Barcelona rode its luck for long stretches as Espanyol carved out six clear chances but found Garcia in defiant mood, the 23-year-old parrying, smothering and tipping efforts that drew louder whistles each time he touched the ball.
Espanyol’s early pressing and direct running pinned Barcelona back, forcing hurried clearances and inviting turnovers. Yet as the match ticked toward a stalemate, Barcelona’s quality in the final third finally told. Olmo broke the deadlock four minutes from time, cutting in and curling his finish into the top of the net, a strike of precision that quieted the RCDE Stadium. In the final minute, substitute Fermin Lopez slipped Lewandowski into space, and the Pole’s measured finish settled the derby.
It was a hard-edged, combustible affair befitting the rivalry, with the narrative revolving around Garcia’s return and Espanyol’s squandered momentum. The keeper’s reaction saves and high claims under pressure stole oxygen from the hosts, who lost shape chasing an equalizer after Olmo’s goal and were punished in transition by Lewandowski.
Villarreal climbs with polished win at Elche
Villarreal moved back into third place with a composed 3-1 victory away to Elche, jumping out to a 2-0 lead before halftime and managing the game clinically from there. Alberto Moleiro opened the scoring and Georges Mikautadze doubled the advantage as the visitors seized control early. Martim Neto’s reply around the half-hour offered Elche a foothold, but Villarreal limited clear chances in the second half and sealed it when Alfonso Pedraza finished with seven minutes remaining.
The performance underscored Villarreal’s balance: incision in wide areas and a more compact defensive block after the break. With the win, the Yellow Submarine tightened their grip on a top-four chase that remains crowded beneath Barcelona.
Celta Vigo sails past struggling Valencia
Borja Iglesias struck twice as Celta Vigo thumped Valencia 4-1 at Balaídos to open Saturday’s slate. Celta’s attack carried an edge all afternoon, and while Pepelu’s well-taken effort pulled Valencia to 2-1 with 20 minutes left, the home side accelerated again. Jones El-Abdellaoui restored the two-goal cushion in the 83rd minute, and Hugo Sotelo added a fourth in stoppage time to cap a statement win.
Valencia endured further trouble late when goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala suffered a muscle injury and had to be replaced by Pepelu for the closing moments. The defeat deepens Valencia’s slide, while Celta’s scoring breadth — a brace from Iglesias and late strikes from El-Abdellaoui and Sotelo — was a timely tonic for their midtable push.
Guruzeta rescues point for Athletic in Pamplona
Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao split the points in a 1-1 draw. Ruben Garcia gave Osasuna a deserved first-half lead with a long-range free kick that flashed beyond the wall and inside the post. Athletic improved after the interval, and Gorka Guruzeta leveled with 20 minutes to play, salvaging a result in a match that tilted on intensity and second balls rather than clear scoring chances.
The draw leaves both clubs steady but searching for sharper edges in attack as the season’s halfway mark approaches.
Getafe nicks late draw at Rayo
Friday night’s opener ended level as well, with Getafe’s Mauro Arambarri heading a late equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano. Jorge de Frutos had volleyed Rayo ahead in first-half stoppage time, but the visitors grew into the game after the hour and were rewarded when Arambarri ghosted into space to meet a far-post cross.
Derby lesson: resilience travels
Barcelona’s derby win will be remembered for the timing — two late strikes that deflated a buoyant Espanyol — but it also offered a reminder about championship habits. Even on a night when the league leaders struggled to impose their rhythm, they found decisive moments, protected by a goalkeeper who leaned into the tension of returning to his old ground and played through the noise.
Espanyol’s effort was worthy and their plan effective for long stretches, but the margins at the top of La Liga live in small details: a fingertip save, a curled finish, a counter crafted by one deft touch. On Saturday, those details belonged to Barcelona, who left the RCDE Stadium with a derby, and the table’s summit, intact.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
