Barca edge Espanyol as Flick thanks 'unbelievable' goalkeeper Garcia

Late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski secured a 2-0 victory for Barcelona over Espanyol on Saturday, extending their lead at the summit of La Liga to seven points, while manager Hansi Flick praised goalkeeper Joan Garcia for his outstanding display.

Barcelona found themselves under pressure from their local opponents throughout the derby, and Garcia's heroics against his previous club preserved the scoreline until Olmo's curling effort in the 86th minute broke through.

Fermin Lopez assisted Olmo's strike and then set up Lewandowski with a perfect pass, allowing Barcelona to secure their ninth straight league triumph and halt Espanyol's streak of five successive victories.

"We were not worthy of the win, to be frank, but the impact of our substitutions in terms of quality turned the match in our favour," Flick commented.

"Above all, I must thank Joan Garcia, who delivered an extraordinary performance. He ranks among the top goalkeepers globally."

Espanyol, sitting fifth in the standings, might have earned a draw from the heated encounter at the RCDE Stadium, until Barcelona's bench players made the difference.

Real Madrid, in second place, face Real Betis on Sunday.

The home supporters showed intense animosity towards Garcia, the first Espanyol player in over three decades to switch to Barcelona during the summer transfer window.

To shield Barcelona's keeper from thrown objects, large nets were placed behind the goals, as he faced constant jeers, and fans displayed banners depicting rats.

Despite the hostility, Garcia executed two crucial stops in the opening period, ensuring the sides went into the break tied.

"Joan is remarkable, an exceptional keeper. Facing his former supporters, he shone and secured a shutout," Olmo shared with Movistar.

"He has already contributed immensely to us, and I am confident he will offer even more in the future."

Subs settle game

The initial half produced limited opportunities in a tightly contested affair, with Espanyol creating the most promising moments.

Forward Roberto Fernandez broke free behind Barcelona's defence for a one-on-one chance, but Garcia denied him and cleverly obstructed teammate Gerard Martin to block Pere Milla's rebound attempt.

Garcia then executed a superb dive to deflect Milla's header that appeared goal-bound.

His strong showings last term aided Espanyol's survival in the elite division, yet when Barcelona approached, he opted for the uncommon transfer within the city.

Garcia was required once more in the second half as Fernandez raced towards goal, safely diverting the ball as the striker attempted to go around him.

Kounde blocked a shot on the line, and Garcia parried Fernandez's close-range effort, as Espanyol kept pressing Flick's team relentlessly.

Barcelona's initial notable opportunity arrived in the 70th minute, with Eric Garcia firing from near the line, only for Marko Dmitrovic to make a remarkable full-length stop to maintain parity.

In the end, a trio of Flick's replacements collaborated to tilt the contest towards Barcelona.

Lopez advanced and linked with Olmo, whose precise strike found the upper corner, opening the scoring. This marked Olmo's return after more than a month sidelined by a shoulder injury.

Lewandowski then lifted the second goal in the 90th minute, following Lopez's excellent run into the box, sealing Barcelona's opportunistic triumph.

"The opening 80 minutes of our play do not warrant celebration," Flick conceded.

"However, we netted twice, claimed the three points, and this sends a strong signal across La Liga, which is crucial."

In other action, Villarreal kept pace with the league leaders by defeating Elche 3-1 on Saturday, temporarily claiming third position. Atletico Madrid, in fourth, travel to Real Sociedad on Sunday.

A loss to Barcelona prior to the festive pause had hindered Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal, but they kicked off the year strongly at the Martinez Valero venue.

Alberto Moleiro and Georges Mikautadze put the away side ahead comfortably within 13 minutes through sharp conversions.

Martim Neto reduced the deficit for Elche with a strike from distance, but Alfonso Pedraza confirmed Villarreal's success late by sneaking in and calmly finishing past Inaki Pena.