Barcelona Vs Espanyol: Player Ratings & Olmo's Brace

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Post on Nov 04, 2024

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Barcelona vs Espanyol: Player Ratings & Olmo's Brace

Barcelona secured a dominant 3-1 victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Sunday, with Dani Olmo's brace being the highlight of the match. The win propels Barcelona further into the title race, while Espanyol faces a difficult battle to avoid relegation.

Here's a breakdown of the match, including individual player ratings and a closer look at Olmo's impressive performance:

Barcelona Dominates, Olmo Shines

From the outset, Barcelona controlled the pace of the game, showcasing their superior technical ability and tactical discipline. Espanyol struggled to cope with the relentless pressure and creative passing, failing to pose a significant threat to the Barcelona goal in the first half.

Olmo's Brace Fuels Barcelona's Victory

Dani Olmo emerged as the game's standout performer, demonstrating his exceptional talent and composure. He opened the scoring with a well-placed finish in the 34th minute, followed by a stunning curling shot that doubled Barcelona's lead in the 54th minute. His movement, passing, and finishing were consistently impressive, reminding everyone why he is considered one of the most exciting young players in the world.

Espanyol's Late Goal Provides Brief Hope

While Barcelona dominated, Espanyol managed to pull one back in the 80th minute thanks to a clever finish from Joselu. However, the goal proved too little too late as Barcelona maintained their composure and added a third through a well-taken penalty by Pedri in the 86th minute.

Player Ratings

Here's a look at the player ratings for both teams:

Barcelona

• Ter Stegen (7): Solid performance from the Barcelona goalkeeper, making a couple of key saves.
• Koundé (7): Dominant defensively, offering solidity and crucial interceptions.
• Araujo (7): Strong and imposing in defense, providing stability in the backline.
• Balde (8): Impressively creative and energetic, creating chances and offering a constant threat down the left flank.
• Gavi (7): Tireless and influential in midfield, controlling the tempo and dictating the game's flow.
• Pedri (8): Showed his creative brilliance, unlocking Espanyol's defense with incisive passes and scored a penalty to seal the victory.
• De Jong (7): Controlled possession and helped Barcelona build attacks from the midfield.
• Raphinha (6): Worked hard but lacked the same cutting edge as other attackers, unable to find the back of the net.
• Lewandowski (6): Struggled to influence the match, missing some good scoring opportunities.
• Dani Olmo (9): Man of the match, scoring two goals and dominating the midfield.
• Ferran Torres (6): Provided a spark off the bench but lacked the final touch.

Espanyol

• Lecomte (5): Made some saves but couldn't prevent Barcelona's goals.
• Calero (5): Struggled to cope with Barcelona's attacking threat.
• Oliván (5): Had difficulty containing Balde's runs.
• Gil (5): Not as influential as he usually is, failing to make an impact.
• Darder (6): Tried to control the midfield but was outmatched by Barcelona's dominance.
• Exposito (5): Offered little threat offensively.
• Braithwaite (5): Struggled to hold onto the ball and make an impact.
• Puado (5): Tried to create chances but couldn't break through Barcelona's defense.
• Joselu (7): Scored the lone goal for Espanyol, providing brief hope for a comeback.
• Vidal (6): Came on as a substitute and injected some energy into the attack.

Looking Ahead

Barcelona's impressive victory solidifies their position in the title race, while Espanyol faces a daunting task to secure their top-flight status. Barcelona's dominance and Olmo's brilliant performance serve as a clear reminder of their ambition and potential for success this season.