3 Things We Learned: RCD Espanyol vs FC Barcelona

Barcelona struggled at times, but they managed to claim a 3-0 win against their rivals in the Barcelona derby.

Luis Suárez

El Pistolero ended a run of five games without scoring with two fine finishes. The cagey nature of this match meant that any big chances needed to be taken, and thankfully the Uruguayan was on hand to do just that. He took advantage of two mistakes by the Espanyol defence, and looked like the Suárez we are used to. His second goal was a perfect example of this because he took the ball past the goalkeeper rather than snatching at the chance.

Recently, he has seemed unsettled because every part of his play has been below standard. Major examples of this include the two games against Juventus as well as El Clásico. In those games, he missed key chances and even basic things such as his first touch were off. He needed a game to reassert his quality, and bring back his confidence, so this game was the perfect remedy.

This performance has also stopped a potential problem for Luis Enrique. Suárez’s barren run coincided with a promising period of form from Paco Alcacer. The young Spanish striker was rewarded for his excellent performances against Real Sociedad and Real Madrid with a start as the main striker against Osasuna. Luis Enrique’s faith in him was justified because he scored twice.

If the Uruguayan had been below his usual standard in this match as well, there would have been calls for Alcacer to start based on recent form. However, he put those concerns aside, and his return to form will help Barça end the season well.

Momentum

Going in to the end of the season, the Catalans seem to have found form. This game had the potential to be a tough match for the Blaugrana due to how motivated the opposition would be. They managed to negotiate this match well, and kept up the pressure on Real Madrid which was key.

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They aren’t in an ideal situation due to Los Blancos having control over proceedings with the game in hand against Celta Vigo. However, the momentum the Catalans have allows them to take advantage of any potential slip-ups from their main rivals. This is where experience could become important because the Barça players have been in this situation plenty of time. Whereas, Real have only won one title in the past eight years. This round of fixtures provided perfect examples of this. Real struggled to a 2-1 win at home against Valencia, while Barça saw out bitter rivals Espanyol 3-0.

Zinedine Zidane’s team have plenty of individual quality as well as excellent squad depth, but the next few weeks will be a huge test of their nerve. It’s much harder to be ahead than attempting to catch up with the top team. Combine these potential nerves with a relatively inexperienced manager; it could be an interesting last few games. Based on current form, Barcelona look like they will win all of their remaining games, so it all depends on Real.

Marc-André ter Stegen

The German goalkeeper has been excellent this season, and it could be argued that he has been underappreciated. This match was another composed performance with a few key saves when it mattered. The quality of Barcelona’s attack means that they can afford to outscore most opposition through pure chance creation. However, this means that the defence often doesn’t get enough credit.

In particular, ter Stegen doesn’t get recognition for the amount of key saves he makes. He had to deal with three shots on target in this match, which was easy compared to El Clásico. In that game, he had to make 12 saves, so he had just as much influence on the game as Lionel Messi. Without him, the title race could easily be over.

His ice-cool composure on the ball is another key aspect to his game because it allows the team to trust him in the build up play. Giving him possession draws the opposition up the pitch as they attempt to press the ball. However, his excellent range of passing and smart decision-making means that he is often able to find any teammate that manages to find space. His pass success percentage of 80.4% in the Champions League and the league is remarkable considering how much pressure he is usually under as well as the risks he takes.

Next: Players Reviving Barca Career's

Keeping him on a long-term contract should be a priority for the board. He has only just turned 25, but he is already a world-class goalkeeper, and he continues to progress each season. His presence in the goal gives the team stability in a key area as well as forming a strong spine to the team with Gerard Piqué, Samuel Umtiti and Sergio Busquets.

*Stats according to WhoScored.