Barcelona won the derby against intercity rivals Espanyol 4-1 to move nine points clear of Real Madrid in La Liga.
Published April 11, 2026
La Liga leaders took another step towards retaining the title on Saturday as Lamine Yamal set up Ferran Torres’ double to give Barcelona a 4-1 victory over Espanyol.
In the 10th and 25th minutes, Yamal’s passes led to Ferran’s goals, and in the 87th minute, the teenage prodigy ensured victory and Espanyol were on the verge of equalizing. Marcus Rashford scored four goals for the hosts at the Camp Nou in the 89th.
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Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid’s 1-1 home draw with Girona on Friday to open up a nine-point gap over their rivals at the top with seven matches remaining.
Barcelona lost 2-0 to Atlético Madrid this week, while Madrid lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich, so Barcelona and Madrid will aim to overcome their defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals in their next matches.
Phelan has started the season well, scoring 16 goals and making more starts than aging star Robert Lewandowski. Although lacking the clinical scoring touch of the Polish striker, Ferran offered more movement and speed, linking well with Yamal and his midfielders.
However, Phelan then fell into a slump and had not scored a goal since January 31st.
His goalless run spanned 13 games in all competitions, and on Saturday Yamal gave away a corner kick at the far post, allowing Ferran to slot home past Carlos Romero.
Phelan celebrated his first goal by gesturing with his hands as if talking, obviously mindful of the buzz about his scoring troubles in the sports press and on social media.
He scored the second goal with a subtle touch from Yamal’s pass under the onrushing goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.
In the 56th minute, Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano took a rebound from a loose ball and shot the ball from just in front of the area, making it 2-1. The visitors were looking for a second goal to equalize in the Catalunya derby when Dmitrovic tried to clear a long pass that was eventually deflected away by Yamal, who simply pushed the ball into an open net.
Rashford scored the goal, set up by fellow substitute Frenkie de Jong. De Jong made his first appearance in more than a month after the Dutch midfielder recovered from a right foot injury.
