La Liga leaders Barcelona are set to face local rivals Espanyol on Sunday, looking to build on their impressive momentum after a resounding 4-0 victory against Real Madrid in the Clasico. With 10 wins in their last 11 league matches, Hansi Flick's team currently sits six points ahead of Real Madrid and nine points clear of Villarreal, who are in third place.
Several matches, including Real Madrid's clash with Valencia and Villarreal's game against Rayo Vallecano, have been postponed this weekend due to severe flash floods that have impacted the eastern regions of Spain.
Barcelona's recent success has been remarkable, highlighted by their 4-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, marking a significant turnaround following a trophyless season that culminated in the dismissal of manager Xavi Hernandez. Under Flick's leadership, Barcelona has adopted an aggressive and entertaining style of play, scoring a total of 37 league goals this season. Robert Lewandowski leads the scoring charts in La Liga with 14 goals, twice the tally of his nearest competitor, Ayoze Perez from Villarreal.
In the Clasico, Lewandowski scored twice, while Raphinha and teenager Lamine Yamal also contributed to the team's victory, handing Real Madrid their first defeat in 42 La Liga games and securing Barcelona's first Clasico win since March 2023. The attacking trio has been pivotal, with Yamal continuing his excellent form from Euro 2024, where he helped Spain secure their fourth continental title.
Raphinha, who has been a standout performer, was appointed team captain by Flick and has recorded 10 goals and nine assists in 14 matches across all competitions. Despite facing injury challenges to several key players—including Ronald Araujo, Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, and Andreas Christensen—Barcelona is showing great potential as they aim to maximize their squad's capabilities.
Flick expressed his satisfaction with the team's progress, stating, "I'm delighted to be working at Barcelona and to live in Barcelona. It's a fantastic job. We have played a fantastic game against Real and I am so proud. We are sticking to our idea and right now we are fluid and we want to move forward."
Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid, currently in fourth place, have struggled recently, securing only one win in their last four La Liga matches and facing consecutive defeats in the Champions League. They will host third-bottom Las Palmas on Sunday, looking to regain form. Last season's surprise package, Girona, finds themselves in 13th place with 12 points and will host Leganés, aiming to bounce back from two consecutive losses against Las Palmas and Real Sociedad.
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