Barcelona 3-1 Espanyol: Player ratings as Dani Olmo double guides the Catalans to a big win

FC Barcelona squad eased past Espanyol in a 3-1 win in LaLiga on Sunday. A brace from Dani Olmo on either side of a goal from Raphinha gave the Catalans a three-goal cushion inside the opening 31 minutes of the kick-off, before Javi Puado pulled one back for the Periquitos just after the hour mark. The visitors has a total of three goals disallowed in the game, a frustrating prospect as they had given their all. Here are the player ratings:

Barcelona Player Ratings vs Espanyol

Goalkeeper

Inaki Pena – 6.5

Was having an easy game until Javi Puado pulled one back for Espanyol after the hour mark.

Defenders

Hector Fort – 7

Wreaked havoc upfront with his attacking impetus; laid two key passes and three crosses.

Pau Cubarsi – 6.5

Fine distribution but somehow came up short defensively.

Inigo Martinez – 7

Made four clearances in a testament to his excellent vision and even looked to get his side forward with a series of long balls.

Alejandro Balde – 7

Nicely teed up Olmo for their third of the evening.

Midfielders

Marc Casado – 7.5

Looked dangerous all throughout with his linkups; assisted Raphinha for their second goal.

Pedri – 7

Dictated play from the deep.

Forwards

Lamine Yamal – 8.5

A creative inspiration for Barcelona yet again, even assisting Olmo for their opening goal.

Dani Olmo – 9

The Spaniard netted twice to drive Barcelona to a comfortable win.

Raphinha – 8

Doubled their advantage with a lovely finish in the 23rd minute.

Robert Lewandowski – 6

Was uncharacteristically quiet in the match and saw both his attempts saved.

Substitutes

Fermin Lopez – 6.5

Distributed the ball superbly.

Frenkie de Jong – 6.5

Helped the Catalans remain in control with his incisive passing.

Jules Kounde – 6.5

Held his position well even when Espanyol upped the ante late on.

Gavi – N/A

Came on for the final few minutes of the game.

Ansu Fati – N/A

Not enough time to make an impact.

Manager

Hansi Flick – 7

Not the best performance but he’d still be satisfied how his side came flying out of the blocks and killed the match inside the opening 31 minutes.

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Espanyol Player Ratings vs Barcelona

Goalkeeper

Joan Garcia – 6.5

Gave his everything and made six vital saves but Barcelona’s superior quality means he was also beaten thrice.

Defenders

Omar El Hilali – 7

A solid defensive show that saw him make four clearances, three interceptions and five tackles.

Marash Kumbulla – 5

Went off injured in the 40th minute but was largely quiet until then.

Leandro Cabrera – 7

With six clearances made, his vision was on point and read the game brilliantly.

Carlos Romero – 7

Demonstrated his ball-winning capabilities with six ground duels won; a menace attacking-wise too with two key passes and four crosses.

Midfielders

Rafael Bauza – 7

Plucked the ball off a few times, strong in the air, and timed his tackles to perfection.

Forwards

Alvaro Tejero – 7

With three key passes and seven crosses, Tejero was certainly a menace on the flanks and constantly asked questions of Barcelona defense.

Alex Kral – 6.5

Timed his tackles to perfection and plucked the ball off the Barca players a few times.

Alvaro Aguado – 5

Was on the fringes for most of the game; attempted to score twice but saw his efforts blocked on both occasions.

Jofre Carreras – 7

Drew plenty of fouls as his speed and buccaneering runs were a cause for concern for Barcelona.

Substitutes

Sergi Gomez – 7

Came on for the injured Kumbulla and threw his weight around in defense.

Justin Smith – 3

A non-factor for much of his time on the field.

Walid Cheddira – 3

On the fringes for much of the game.

Brian Olivan – 4

Barely even saw the ball.

Naci Unuvar – 5

Made a few tackles to disrupt Barcelona’s movements.

Manager

Manolo Gonzalez – 6.5

Would be proud of his side’s determination in the game tonight.

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