In a match that wasn’t particularly exciting to watch, Barcelona managed to secure a victory in the city derby — a win worth the Spanish league title — thanks to yet another moment of magic from Lamine Yamal! In the end there was the goal by Fermin Lopez!Espanyol started on the front foot and nearly took a shock early lead in the 4th minute. A short pass found Urko Gonzalez in acres of space on the edge of the Barcelona penalty area. The midfielder didn’t hesitate and unleashed a fierce shot toward goal. For a moment, it looked like the ball was curling in, but it crept just past the left post, leaving Szczesny rooted and the home crowd gasping.The hosts continued to pose a threat, particularly through Javi Puado, who was lively throughout the opening half. In the 12th minute, a well-delivered cross found Puado in the box. He showed great composure to step inside his marker, but his finish lacked precision, sending the ball well wide of the right post.4’A short pass finds Urko Gonzalez in acres of space on the edge of the box and he decides to go for glory. His efforts looks in for all the world but just creeps past the left post.— infosfcb 𝕏 (@infosfcb) May 15, 2025 Barcelona responded immediately with a chance of their own. Just a minute later, in the 13th minute, Robert Lewandowski received a smart pass near the edge of the area and turned quickly to shoot. His effort was well struck and seemed to be heading for the bottom corner, but it narrowly missed the left post, keeping the match finely balanced.Espanyol then came the closest to scoring in the 16th minute. Puado, again at the center of the action, latched onto a clever through ball and tried his luck from mid-range. His strike was powerful and accurate, arrowing toward the bottom right corner, but Wojciech Szczesny produced a stunning save to deny the home side a deserved lead. It was the best chance of the half and a reminder of why the Polish goalkeeper remains so highly regarded.🛑 SZCZĘSNY! 🛑#EspanyolBarça #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/ARsdSRgklx— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 15, 2025 Barcelona nearly broke the deadlock in the 31st minute when Pedri let fly from distance with a thunderous shot that whistled just past the left post—a strike the goalkeeper would have struggled to stop had it been on target.Just before the break, Lewandowski had another opportunity inside the box in the 44th minute, but his shot lacked accuracy and went well wide of the target.Hard-fought first half in Cornellà! 💪 pic.twitter.com/wu368fHXMm— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 15, 2025 The second half of the Espanyol vs. Barcelona clash brought the breakthrough the first 45 minutes lacked, though overall, clear opportunities remained scarce. In a half largely marked by cautious buildup and few goalmouth actions, it was a moment of brilliance from a rising star that made all the difference.Just eight minutes after the restart, Barcelona finally found their moment. In the 53rd minute, Dani Olmo slipped a clever pass to Lamine Yamal on the edge of the box. The Barca’s sensation needed no invitation—he struck a sublime shot into the top left corner, giving the visitors a 1–0 lead with what was arguably the highlight of the match. You can see the goal HERE!17-year-old Lamine Yamal came 8th in last year’s Ballon d’Or rankings.The youngest player to ever win the award was Ronaldo Nazario at 21 years and 95 days old.Is Lamine Yamal breaking that record? 👀 pic.twitter.com/W210ghMsyg— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 15, 2025 Despite the goal, the tempo remained measured, and chances continued to be limited. Barcelona maintained control, comfortably managing their lead, while Espanyol struggled to mount a serious response.Tensions boiled over in the 78th minute when Leandro Cabrera was involved in a controversial challenge. Initially missed by the officials, the incident was reviewed via VAR after a delay, and referee Cesar Soto Grado showed Cabrera a straight red card, reducing Espanyol to ten men. The defender looked stunned by the decision, but the replay left no room for doubt.With a man advantage and a goal in hand, Barcelona calmly saw out the remainder of the game. The closing stages were largely uneventful, with the home side unable to threaten an equalizer.The final touch and confirmation of the title for Barcelona was delivered by Fermin in the closing minutes of the match with a brilliant strike. The goal is HERE!LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 36TuesdayValladolid – Girona 0-1 (0-0)/Stuani 80/Real Sociedad – Celta 0-1 (0-1)/Gonzales 44/Sevilla – Las Palmas 1-0 (0-0)/Garcia-Pascual 52/WednesdayAlaves – Valencia 1-0 (0-0)/Jordan 79 pen/Villarreal – Leganes 3-0 (3-0)/Perez 23, 31, Pepe 45/Real Madrid – Mallorca 2-1 (0-1)/Mbappe 68, Ramon 90+5 – Valjent 11/ThursdayOsasuna – Atl. Madrid 2-0 (1-0)/Catena 25, Budimir 82/Rayo Vallecano – Betis 2-2 (2-0)/De Frutos 37, Lejeune 45+6 – Hernandez 51, Isco 61 pen/Espanyol – Barcelona 0-2 (0-0)/Yamal 53, Lopez 90+5/Getafe – Ath. Bilbao 0-2 (0-0)/Guruzeta 76, Vivian 89/
