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.

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.