Barcelona triumphed in the Catalan derby against Espanyol, securing a 3-1 victory on Sunday evening during the 12th round of La Liga. This win places Barcelona nine points ahead in the league standings, totaling 33 points, while Espanyol remains at 10 points in 17th place, benefiting from the postponed match between Real Madrid and Valencia.
According to the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional,” coach Flick expressed his delight over the victory and the significant gap over Real Madrid. He praised young midfielder Marc Casado for his outstanding contributions this season, stating he couldn’t find the right words to describe Casado’s performance.
After the match, Flick surprised star player Dani Olmo with praise, telling him he shouldn’t be on the bench at this level. Despite returning from injury, Olmo consistently scores or assists in every match, making him indispensable as long as he stays healthy.
However, Flick was dissatisfied with Alejandro Balde’s performance, urging him to improve to avoid jeopardizing Barcelona’s season. In a surprising move, president Laporta visited the locker room post-match to discuss with Flick the importance of giving Ansu Fati more playing time, expressing his belief in the young star’s potential to return to form. Laporta also congratulated Olmo on his performance, encouraging him to continue his excellent play to help lead Barcelona back to success.
