Barcelona earn dramatic win at Espanyol
Late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski earned LaLiga leaders Barcelona a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Saturday, with goalkeeper Joan Garcia playing a key role against his former club.
Barca extended their lead atop the Spanish standings with 49 points, seven clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who host Real Betis on Sunday. Espanyol remain fifth on 33.
In a physical and tightly contested match Espanyol came close to opening the scoring on several occasions but it was Barcelona who struck four minutes from time when Olmo produced a superb finish into the far corner after a pass from Fermin Lopez.
Lopez then surged down the right flank to set up Lewandowski in the 90th minute, providing his second assist of the night as Barcelona sealed the win and silenced a fervent RCDE Stadium.
"We know it was an important victory, in the derby, and what it means for the fans," Lopez told Movistar. "Maybe we didn't play our best game, but we knew how to take advantage of our opportunities."
A gutsy Espanyol were the more threatening side for long stretches, pressing aggressively and carving out several clear chances, but they were repeatedly denied by Garcia, who was unfazed by the hostile reception from his former supporters.
The Barcelona goalkeeper produced a string of outstanding saves, denying Pere Milla with a point-blank header in the first half before stopping Roberto Fernandez twice in quick succession and stretching low to keep out a curling effort from Carlos Romero as the hosts piled on pressure.
"Joan is spectacular. We know he's a great goalkeeper. It was a difficult game for him because of the pressure," Fermin said of his teammate, who was named MVP. "He played a great game. We're very happy that he's a Barca player."
Barcelona struggled to impose themselves for much of the contest, dominating possession without a cutting edge, but the match swung following changes from coach Hansi Flick, who introduced Lewandowski, Olmo and Lopez in the second half, substitutions that added energy and proved decisive.
"You have to help the team, whether you're a starter or a substitute," Lopez added. "I'm very happy to help and to get the three points."
Before the breakthrough, Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic had kept his side level, pushing away a header from Jules Kounde before producing a point-blank save to deny Eric Garcia in a derby shaped by fine goalkeeping at both ends.
Barcelona will look to carry their momentum into Wednesday’s Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Bilbao.
"We're delighted to celebrate the New Year with a victory," Olmo said. "We knew they were going to make things difficult for us. They played a great game, but so did we... Now we're going for the Super Cup."
Roma fall to Atalanta
There was no happy homecoming for AS Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini as his side lost 1-0 at his former club Atalanta on Saturday, with the visitors in danger of losing touch in the Serie A title race after a fourth defeat in six games.
Gasperini spent nine seasons at Atalanta but his first return to Bergamo ended in disappointment, going down to a side now managed by Raffaele Palladino, who played under Gasperini at Genoa.
Roma slip to fifth in the standings, level on 33 points with fourth-placed Juventus and five behind leaders AC Milan who have played one game fewer. Atalanta move to eighth in the standings on 25 points.
"A decade of glory carved into our history, parting ways was a blow to the heart, finding each other again a great emotion," read a large banner dedicated to their former manager by the Atalanta fans, but that was as good as it got for Gasperini.
An early chance fell to Roma with Evan Ferguson's first shot saved by Marco Carnesecchi and his follow-up effort was headed off the line by defender Sead Kolasinac before Atalanta took the lead in the 12th minute.
Giorgio Scalvini bundled the ball over the line after Roma keeper Mile Svilar failed to deal with the corner kick delivered by Nicola Zalewski.
Zalewski could have doubled the lead against his former club at the end of a delightful Atalanta move but scuffed his shot wide, and the hosts, much the better side in the opening half, had a Gianluca Scamacca goal ruled out for offside.
Carnesecchi made another save to deny Ferguson shortly after the break and Paulo Dybala had a flicked effort from close range blocked by Berat Djimsiti.
Roma huffed and puffed but failed to find an equaliser which would have earned Gasperini's side their first draw of the season across all competitions.
The game risked suspension in the closing minutes when a firecracker exploded near the linesman who was left holding his ear and looked shaken.
The referee went to check on his assistant's wellbeing, telling him that he had to qualms about going back to the dressing room, but the match continued when the linesman insisted he was fine to carry on.
Juventus's title hopes suffer blow
Juventus's Serie A title hopes were dealt a hammer blow when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by relegation battling Lecce on Saturday, with the hosts coming from behind but failing to win after Jonathan David had a penalty saved.
Juventus remain fifth in the standings on 33 points, five off leaders AC Milan who have played a game less. Lecce are 16th on 17 points, five points above the relegation zone.
The home side put in a dominant display but wasted a host of opportunities and, after ending 2025 with three successive league wins, the New Year began in disappointing fashion for Luciano Spalletti's men.
"We created spaces, we put in crosses, balls played through into the box," Spalletti told DAZN.
"But we never found the player able to finish it off inside the area."
Juve's first chance came from a corner when David's glancing header was saved by the foot of keeper Wladimiro Falcone who watched the ball bounce off the post and roll back along the line safely into his hands.
Falcone made another save to tip Andrea Cambiaso's low shot around for a corner and Manuel Locatelli's first-time effort from the edge of the area went narrowly wide.
Kenan Yildiz played a pass to the unmarked Cambiaso who blasted over from close range as Lecce continued to hang on.
The opening half was in added time when Lecce stunned the hosts. A wayward pass from Cambiaso was pounced on by Lameck Banda who danced his way past two opponents before rifling a shot into the corner.
Juventus equalised four minutes after the break, with Yildiz's shot taking a deflection and the ball fell to Weston McKennie who fired past Falcone.
Lecce faced wave after wave of Juventus attacks and the visitors conceded a penalty for Mohamed Kaba's handball in blocking David's shot.
David scored on his Juventus debut on the opening day of the season but has failed to add to his tally in the league.
"It's disappointing he isn't confident enough at the moment to show all his quality, but he can be a top finisher in the box," Spalletti told DAZN before kickoff.
Yildiz handed the ball to David but the Canadian forward sent a tame Panenka-style effort down the middle and the diving Falcone had time to raise his foot to make the save.
"David is a penalty taker, he strikes them very well and he made the right choice," Spalletti said.
"Penalties get missed. If someone else had missed, it would have been the same. Next time I'll probably step in too, because I like making decisions, but these things happen during a match.
"It wasn't a favour just to let him score, he has to score because he's the penalty taker."
Falcone denied David a late winner with a fine save, Yildiz hit the post in added time and the final whistle was met with a chorus of boos from the Juventus fans.
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