BARCELONA: Lamine Yamal set up two goals and scored another as Barcelona took a significant step towards defending their La Liga title with a 4-1 derby win over Espanyol on Saturday.
Ferran Torres netted twice with Yamal and Marcus Rashford finding the net late on as the Catalans moved nine points clear of second-placed rivals Real Madrid.
Los Blancos drew 1-1 against Girona on Friday and with seven games remaining, one of which is a Clasico at Camp Nou in May, Hansi Flick's side have a commanding lead.
Barca face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-finals, aiming to fight back from a 2-0 first-leg defeat, but the coach still picked a strong side against Espanyol.
Midfielder Pedri Gonzalez and 18-year-old winger Yamal played the full match as Flick tried not to let the second leg disrupt the team's league campaign.
Torres's goals were his first since January and he was happy to help Barca move closer to the title.
"Until we win it, it's not over but it's true, it's in our hands -- we have to keep getting the three points," Torres told DAZN.
After a strong start to the season Espanyol were beaten at home by Barca in the first game of 2026 and have failed to win a match since.
They offered little resistance as Hansi Flick's side cruised into a two-goal lead.
Yamal created both goals for Torres, whipping in a corner which the Spain international nodded home.
Although some wondered if Flick would rest Yamal for Tuesday's visit to face Atletico, the teenager is always keen to play and Barca fans adore watching him.
Yamal's assist for the second was sumptuous, playing Torres through with the outside of his boot and the striker's shot trickled past Marko Dmitrovic and into the net.
"I always believe in hard work and that you will get your reward," added Torres on ending his goal drought.
"You always hear noise around you, more for the bad things than for the good... I am always focused on myself, on improving."
Espanyol came close when Tyrhys Dolan's chipped effort clipped the top of the crossbar but they were mainly pinned back in their own territory.
Yamal curled a free-kick narrowly over the crossbar and Dmitrovic made a good double save to keep Fermin Lopez and Eric Garcia at bay.
