La Liga: Barcelona Claim Narrow Win At Las Palmas To Reclaim Liga Lead
Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in LaLiga with a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Las Palmas on Saturday, thanks to goals from Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres. The win allowed the Catalans to surge ahead of Atletico Madrid, who had briefly taken pole position after their win over Valencia earlier in the day.
After suffering a surprising defeat to Las Palmas earlier in the season, Barcelona was determined to avenge that loss. The match began with Barcelona struggling to find their rhythm, as their attacking efforts in the first half lacked precision and creativity against a well-organized Las Palmas defense.
The breakthrough came in the second half when coach Thomas Flick made a tactical change, bringing on the playmaking dynamo Dani Olmo for the subdued Fermin Lopez. Olmo’s introduction proved pivotal; although his first touch was a misplaced pass, he quickly regained his composure. In a flowing move, Lamine Yamal found Olmo, who showcased excellent footwork to create space in the box and finished with finesse.
Las Palmas tried to respond, with former Barcelona striker Sandro Ramirez coming close as he fired just wide of Wojciech Szczesny’s goal. Barcelona’s top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, also had opportunities but was unable to convert, directing a header straight at goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and later firing over the bar.
Las Palmas nearly equalized when a shot struck the arm of Eric Garcia in the box, but VAR intervened to confirm an offside in the build-up, much to the relief of the Barcelona players.
As the match approached its conclusion, Las Palmas pushed for an equalizer, but it was Barcelona who struck decisively. In the dying minutes, a defensive error gifted possession to Raphinha, who swiftly set up Ferran Torres. The winger made no mistake, rifling the ball past Cillessen to secure the victory for Barcelona.
The defeat leaves Las Palmas in a precarious position, sitting 17th in the league and level on points with Valencia in the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Barcelona sits one point ahead of Atletico Madrid and maintains pressure on third-placed Real Madrid, who could equal their points tally if they defeat Girona later on Saturday.
With this victory, Barcelona continues to strengthen their title bid, showcasing resilience and determination as they strive for success in LaLiga this season.
