A derby to sentence
Barcelona not only won the Catalan classic. They did it with authority, with a 4-1 that tastes like much more than three points. This victory comes just after Real Madrid got stuck against Girona, and extends the leader’s lead to nine points. With only seven games left, the League smells like a Barça team.
The key was in two names: Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres. The 18-year-old prodigy was the architect, with two assists for Ferran’s ‘double’ in the first 25 minutes. But when Espanyol got closer to 2-1 and began to dream of a comeback, it was Yamal himself who appeared in the 87th minute to extinguish any hope.
“Until we win it, LaLiga is not doomed, but it is true that it depends on us,” said Ferran Torres after the game. “Now we can focus on the Champions League.”
Records and claims
The night was full of symbolism. Lamine Yamal broke another precocity record: he became the youngest footballer to reach 100 games in LaLiga, at only 18 years and 272 days old. He surpassed Bojan Krkić’s mark. In addition, he is the team’s absolute leader this season, with 22 goals and 18 assists.
For his part, Ferran Torres broke a drought that had followed him since January. He had not scored for 13 games in all competitions. His celebration of the first goal, making a “chatting” gesture with his hands, was a clear response to the criticism.
“The team is in a good place. We will be ready,” said coach Hansi Flick about the return against Atlético in the Champions League. “We don’t need a miracle. We need to play our best football.”
Looking towards Madrid
The joy for the League has an immediate counterpoint: this Tuesday there is a visit to the Wanda Metropolitano. Barça needs to come back from 2-0 against Atlético de Madrid to stay alive in Europe.
Meanwhile, the cries of “Yes we can!” echoed in the Camp Nou at the end of the game. A clear message for the decisive week ahead. The path to the double is open, but now it’s time to prove it away from home.
