Barcelona resumed their La Liga campaign with a crucial 2–0 derby victory over city rivals Espanyol on Saturday night, extending their impressive winning streak and tightening their grip at the top of the table.
The Catalan giants secured the win at the RCDE Stadium thanks to a second-half improvement, making it nine consecutive league victories and opening a seven-point gap at the summit ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Real Betis on Sunday.
Despite the positive result, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick offered a brutally honest assessment of his side’s performance, admitting that the outcome did not fully reflect the balance of play. Speaking after the match, Flick acknowledged Espanyol’s strong showing while emphasizing the importance of quality and game-changing moments.
“We have to change a few things, but I’m very happy with the three points. We have to take into account that Espanyol played a very good game. We did not deserve to win, but in the end the quality we put on the pitch, after the changes, deserved the game.”
The German coach reserved special praise for goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who delivered a standout performance against his former club and played a decisive role in keeping Espanyol at bay during their strongest spells.
“The first thing I have to do is thank Joan Garcia. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. And also to the players who have come off the bench. But we have won the three points and that is the message we send to the rest of the league.”
Garcia’s contribution was made even more significant by the hostile atmosphere inside the stadium, where he was jeered throughout the match. Flick highlighted the mental resilience shown by the goalkeeper on an emotionally charged night.
“Fantastic. I think he will not forget what he has experienced here, because he has played for Espanyol, here they gave him the opportunity. But now he plays for us and has been one of the people responsible for the victory.”
Looking ahead, Flick believes the gritty win could prove valuable as Barcelona prepare for the upcoming Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, with little recovery time following the winter break.
“It’s not easy after this Christmas break, to play this game and go to the Super Cup so quickly. But I think the victory will give us confidence and hopefully it goes well. You know that I always talk about what I see in training and I’m happy with what I’m seeing. We suffered, but we won the three points.”
With momentum on their side and confidence growing, Barcelona will now turn their attention to silverware, knowing that results — even imperfect ones — continue to strengthen their title credentials.