Barcelona left it late to settle the Espanyol derby, with substitutes Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski stepping off the bench to strike late and secure the win.
It was a tense, scrappy contest for long spells, with Barcelona struggling to turn control of the ball into clear chances and Espanyol making it difficult in a game that rarely flowed.
Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia produced a series of key moments against his former club, frustrating Barcelona and keeping the match level as pressure built, while the visitors lacked sharpness in the final third.
Barcelona’s front line never fully clicked and Marcus Rashford endured a difficult night, failing to make the impact expected in the derby and offering little end product before he was taken out of the spotlight later on.
With the breakthrough not coming, Barcelona turned to their bench, and it proved decisive. Olmo made an immediate difference after coming on, injecting urgency and finding the finish Barcelona had been missing.
Espanyol tried to respond, but Barcelona kept their nerve and then wrapped it up late when Lewandowski, also introduced as a substitute, struck to seal the derby victory.
The late goals ensured Barcelona walked away with the result, thanks to their super-subs, while Garcia’s return and Rashford’s off-day were among the main talking points of the night.
