Three talking points as Barcelona beat Espanyol 2-0 in La Liga | OneFootball

FC Barcelona travelled to the RCDE Stadium to face local rivals Espanyol in their first game of 2026. As expected, a hostile reception awaited the Catalan giants, with the opposition and fanbase doing everything possible to throw them off their game.

It was a poor match for the most part, highlighted by the heroics of Joan García, who played like a man possessed on his return to his former home. Despite a cauldron of around 35,000 people booing him at every touch, the Spaniard remained unfazed.

Eventually, Hansi Flick’s men secured a 2-0 win, thanks to two late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski, both assisted by Fermin Lopez. Three substitutes combined to do the job for Barcelona.

With all this in mind, here are three talking points for Barcelona as they beat Espanyol 2-0 at the RCDE Stadium in La Liga.

1. Barcelona on course for a 100-point season

The narrative surrounding FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick has not been as lofty as it was last season. Still, with the campaign exactly halfway through, the Catalan club is in an even better position than they were last time around.

The nine-match winning run that the Catalan club has put together has left them with 49 points after 19 La Liga games in the 2025/26 season, putting them on course, incredibly, for a 100-point campaign.

Of course, it is still early days, and Barcelona still have room for improvement. However, the fact that they are in with a chance of hitting the magical number without being at their best is quite telling of the quality they possess.

Everything points to Hansi Flick finding a way to get his team to play even better in the second half. With a reinforcement or two to shore up the back line, Barcelona might go on to break the 100-point barrier this time around.

2. Joan Garcia: A man with nerves of steel

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Joan Garcia received one of the most hostile receptions imaginable at the RCDE Stadium last night, from the moment he started to warm up. A crowd that had once sung his name made sure to express their displeasure with his decision to move across the city and play for Barcelona.

Even for the bravest and most mentally strong people, what the RCDE Stadium had to offer would likely have fazed them ahead of kick-off. However, Joan García is a generational talent who is built very differently.

The Spaniard showed nerves of steel in the way he went about his game. Last night was a masterclass in shot-stopping from Garcia, and he seemed determined to keep that clean sheet on his return to the RCDE Stadium.

Barcelona really lucked out with Joan, and his performance last night was reminiscent of displays from legendary goalkeepers such as Manuel Neuer, who single-handedly keep their teams in games, helping them nick it late on.

3. Dani Olmo arrives, just in time

It was not a great 2025 for Dani Olmo, who struggled for form and with injuries, but if his start to 2026 is anything to go by, this might be the year that the Spaniard becomes the player Barcelona signed from RB Leipzig.

Olmo was returning from injury and started on the bench against Espanyol. He was brought on in the second half, hoping to break open a game where chances were as scarce as finding water in the Sahara.

Just five minutes before the 90-minute mark, Fermin received the ball and turned away from his marker with beautiful finesse, driving forward before laying it off to Olmo. Without taking a touch, the Spaniard curled a beautiful effort into the far-right corner.

It was the kind of goal everyone knew Olmo had in his locker but had not seen for a long time. It should do him the world of good to put in the performance he did last night, albeit in a cameo, and we will see whether he can build on this momentum going forward.