Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona | LaLiga 24/25 Match Highlights
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00:00The RCD stadium is on its feet, this full house tonight, Omar El Hilali and Romero either side.
00:13On loan Urko Gonzalez is partnered with Paul Lozano as the double pivots.
00:18Roca, Exposito, Poado and Roberto Fernandez, the Pedri and Frankie de Jong in front of them
00:24with Dani Olmo, Jafinha, Laminemal and the returning Robert Lewandowski.
00:31Barcelona in their away kit, in that black with red details.
00:36And they are going from right to left here at the RCD stadium and expect plenty of this, Graeme.
00:41Whenever Barca are on the ball, the whistles will be almost deafening for the players on the pitch.
00:45Today.
00:49Experiencing one of his best seasons in terms of the stats as well.
00:52And the highlight reel has been amazing from him.
00:56Ball's been won away here by Leandro Cabrera.
00:58Passes that through the middle.
01:00Espanyol need to get players back onside.
01:02Here's Roberto Fernandez.
01:04Slips the ball through.
01:05Here's the opportunity for Espanyol.
01:07Early doors.
01:08It is put wide of goal.
01:10And that is what Barcelona have to be oh so careful about within four minutes.
01:17It's gorgeous flowing football.
01:18And let's tell the people again, Duncan, we've just seen an example of why Espanyol statistically are the second best breakaway counter-attack transition team in La Liga.
01:30It's how this...
01:31Javi Poirot has played his trade in the Segunda División and the player who came up through the ranks when Espanyol were last in the Primera División.
01:39Here comes a chance maybe for Lewandowski.
01:42It's just wide of goal.
01:44Lominium all want it teed up to him.
01:47Here's for Nantes.
01:50Another pass through.
01:51And here's the breakaway for Espanyol.
01:53Javi Poirot saved by Szczesny.
01:55Borsiek Szczesny gets down to his left.
01:59Dramatic study in exactly what you set us up for.
02:01Because there's Christensen.
02:03Now he has a think.
02:04Do I take him down outside?
02:06This is infinitely superior.
02:09And the match right now is evenly balanced.
02:11And it wouldn't be a shot given the chance to draw on goal.
02:15If Espanyol were leading 1-0.
02:16Here comes Hafenja.
02:17Gets into the deep.
02:18Low shot from him.
02:19A little trouble for Juan Garcia.
02:21Who gets down to his right.
02:22Get them promoted.
02:25In the end they have to go through the playoffs.
02:27It's a coach who came up from the B-team coaching position.
02:32He's been kept on.
02:33This low drive finds its way wide.
02:35Garcia just withdrew his hand.
02:39And Espanyol have lost a bit of shape.
02:42In their haste to go forward.
02:43Here's Pedri.
02:44Can he take advantage?
02:45Pedri squares it to Lominium all.
02:48First time hit from him.
02:49Lominium all probably felt he was due a shot after being ignored on a couple of occasions.
02:55Lominium all backs off.
02:56Javi Guardo.
02:57It's played to Dani Olmo.
02:59Who's been one of the players on the ball the most.
03:01Here comes Lewandowski.
03:02Control.
03:03It's a narrow angle.
03:04Wow.
03:04Wow.
03:05Wow.
03:05He puts it across the face of goal.
03:07Nobody able to finish.
03:08We're just about to reach the half-time whistle.
03:10And indeed it is blown by the match day official.
03:16The players and the coaches head down the tunnel.
03:19This one Graham is poised precariously for the second half.
03:23It's set to be a...
03:24I don't want to curse the kid but he's much...
03:27There have been fewer mistakes in Valde's relatively advanced career than they have in Martin's short career.
03:34So in principle on the face of it this should be a plus for...
03:37Alcan Barca have used up two substitution win toes.
03:44And you're waiting for their first attack of the second half.
03:47It almost came there as Chesney once again.
03:50Yeah.
03:50On the edge of his area.
03:52He had that one moment in the first half where he had to rush out and clear.
03:57But it caused panic originally when he supplanted Inaki Pena in goals.
04:02He didn't know when to come out.
04:04There was that horrendous clash that he had.
04:07I forget with which defender.
04:08It may have been Balde in Lisbon against Benfica.
04:11And there were occasions.
04:13There have been many occasions when he's come charging up for the ball and committed penalties.
04:16But his judgment and his pace about when to come outside his box and thwart long balls through.
04:22Has improved hugely over the months that he's been Barcelona's number one.
04:26Here is Luiz Nal.
04:27Goes inside again.
04:28He'll finally be able to get a curling shot off.
04:30And score for Barca.
04:32The big man for the big occasion.
04:35Laminya Mao.
04:37Scores once again.
04:39Wow.
04:40Cutting inside.
04:41It's the first time he's been allowed to get inside.
04:44After three defenders had covered him in the initial stages of this second half.
04:50Where there is a will, there is a way.
04:53And where there is Laminya Mao, there is a goal.
04:56A curling effort into the top left corner.
04:59It's Espanyol nil.
05:00Barcelona one.
05:01That's now over 70 goals and assists this 17 year old has got for his club and his country.
05:10And he takes this by the scruff of the neck.
05:12For example, were this game drawn or if they lost, Lewandowski's fitness and presence will be vital in the two remaining matches which are Villarreal and Athletic Club.
05:22It's all played over Cabrera in a foot race with Laminya Mao with a bit of a strikeout as well.
05:29Just how much contact was made remains to be seen from the replay and the referee will intervene to try and calm things down.
05:36He's going to get the red, I think, is he?
05:39He reaches into his pocket and it is red for Leandro Cabrera.
05:47I think the look over his left shoulder, which the referee has now seen.
05:53He lashes out at Leandro Cabrera.
05:55At first it was with the right, then with his left forearm.
06:00Laminya Mao, two defenders on him again, even down to ten men.
06:04And Espanyol want to commit a couple of players to the difference maker for Barca.
06:11He try and play out from the back, they've given it away though, it comes to Laminya Mao.
06:15Laminya Mao with the shot of tame effort saved by Juan Garcia.
06:18But there's a lesson for everybody, why do they press?
06:21He was discovered as having a smoking habit and he kind of told Brentford on Vortech stage,
06:28I'm bigger than this club, I'm going back to Arsenal.
06:31Fell out with Wenger.
06:32Legend in his own country for his national team's performance.
06:36Since his inception as a professional footballer, he has seen the world his way.
06:43He's a huge character and he's been a big success since Stegen's injury.
06:49Here is Firmin, sells the dummy on three occasions.
06:52Couldn't quite get the pass to Laminya Mao.
06:54Oh, look at that.
06:54And it's come to Firmin, the finishing touch on the La Liga title for FC Barcelona, late in the derby.
07:04Firmin Lopez puts the ball into the net to double the lead.
07:08Barcelona are surely champions now.
07:14And they get their second goal in stoppage time.
07:18Set up by Laminya Mao after some hard work by Firmin Lopez.
07:22He provides the finishing touch.
07:24Jermaine Garcia wants the Barca players to stop celebrating and get on with things.
07:33The celebrations will only be delayed shortly.
07:35Just two minutes from the end of stoppage time.
07:38It is Espanyol nil, football club Barcelona 2.
07:43It's game over.
07:45And Barca win, not just the derby, but also the title here at the RCDE Stadium with a 2-0 victory over Espanyol.