Barcelona are inching closer to a league title after winning the second-toughest remaining game on their schedule. The Blaugrana comfortably coasted to a 2-0 win over rivals Espanyol on Saturday, despite losing Jordi Alba to a red card early in the second half.
Espanyol vs. Barcelona 2015 results: Blaugrana record comfortable 2-0 win
A Jordi Alba red card complicated things a bit for Barcelona, but they still never looked under threat of dropping points.
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The front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were fantastic as always, combining to score two goals in the first half. Neymar finished off the opener, technically assisted by an Alba cross, but made possible by Suarez’s dummy run.
Eight minutes later, Suarez set up Messi to double Barca’s lead. Andres Iniesta chipped the ball through to him, Suarez played a first-time cross to the back post for Messi, and he took the ball down brilliantly. It looked like he’d have to pass, but somehow, Messi finished with his second touch from a nearly impossible angle.
Barca were probably on their way to an emphatic win until the referee sent off Alba for dissent. He kicked the ball away with dissatisfaction after a call that didn’t go his way, for which he was shown a yellow. As he was walking away, he said something to the ref, and it was apparently offensive enough to warrant a sending off.
From there, Barca weren’t able to quite dominate the game, but never looked under threat and still looked the more likely team to score. In his frustration, Espanyol defender Hector Moreno picked up a second yellow card in stoppage time, and the sides finished even on 10 men apiece.
Espanyol: Casilla, Duarte, Moreno (red 90'), Gonzalez, Arbilla, Alvarez, Abraham (Sevilla 61'), Cañas, Vazquez, Garcia, Salcedo
Goals: None.
Barcelona: Bravo, Alba (red 54'), Mascherano, Pique, Alves, Busquets, Iniesta, Rafinha (Mathieu 65'), Neymar, Messi, Suarez
Goals: Neymar (17’), Messi (25’)
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