Barcelona climbed back to the summit of LaLiga with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Las Palmas on Saturday night, thanks to second-half strikes from Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres.
The Catalans, momentarily displaced by Atletico Madrid after their win over Valencia, reclaimed first place with a disciplined performance on the road. However, their stay at the top remains uncertain, as Real Madrid, currently third, can draw level on points if they defeat Girona later on Saturday.
Second-Half Surge
In a tense first half, Barcelona struggled to break down a resilient Las Palmas defense, lacking sharpness in the final third. Hansi Flick responded by introducing Dani Olmo at halftime, replacing the quiet Fermin Lopez.
The Spain international made an immediate impact, capitalizing on a slick move initiated by Lamine Yamal. The young winger darted forward before slipping the ball to Olmo, who weaved past defenders and coolly slotted home to break the deadlock.
Las Palmas responded by pushing forward, and former Barcelona forward Sandro Ramirez came close to an equalizer, sending a fierce strike just wide of Wojciech Szczesny’s post.
As the hosts committed more men forward, gaps appeared at the back. Yamal, growing in influence, set up Robert Lewandowski for a golden opportunity, but the Polish striker’s header was comfortably saved by Jasper Cillessen. Moments later, Lewandowski fired over after a neat run from Alejandro Balde.
Late Torres Strike Seals Victory
Las Palmas thought they had a lifeline when Eric Garcia appeared to handle the ball in the box, but VAR ruled the play offside in the build-up.
With the game still in the balance, Barcelona struck again deep into stoppage time. A misplaced pass from the hosts was intercepted by Raphinha, who squared the ball to Ferran Torres. The Spaniard made no mistake, drilling a powerful shot past Cillessen to secure all three points.
Standings Shake-Up
The win sees Barcelona move one point clear of Atletico Madrid at the top, while Las Palmas remain in 17th place, perilously level on points with 18th-placed Valencia in the relegation zone.
With a crucial run of fixtures ahead, Barcelona will look to build on this momentum, while Las Palmas must regroup quickly to avoid being dragged further into the drop zone.
