Barcelona move 9 clear of Real Madrid with derby win as La Liga title nears

Lamine Yamal secured Barcelona’s 4-1 win over Espanyol by setting up Ferran Torres for a double and the La Liga leaders took another step towards retaining the title on Saturday.

Yamal passed for Ferran to score in the 10th and 25th minutes before the teenage phenom ensured the victory in the 87th with Espanyol threatening to equalise. Marcus Rashford made it four for the hosts at Camp Nou in the 89th.

Barcelona capitalised on Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw at home to Girona on Friday to increase its lead to nine points over its top rival with seven rounds remaining.

Barcelona and Madrid will try to overcome losses in the Champions League quarterfinals in their next games after Barcelona lost to Atletico Madrid 2-0 and Madrid fell to Bayern Munich 2-1 this week.

Ferran started the season in good form, scoring 16 goals, among more starts, than ageing star Robert Lewandowski. While lacking the clinical scoring touch of the Poland striker, Ferran provided more movement, speed and linked up well with Yamal and his midfielders.

But Ferran then hit a slump and had not scored since January 31.

His goalless run stretched across 13 games in all competitions and finally ended on Saturday when Yamal delivered a corner kick to the far post, where Ferran leapt over Carlos Romero and nodded it home.

Ferran celebrated his first goal by gesturing with his hands as if they were talking, apparently in reference to the talk in the sports press and social media about his scoring troubles.

He made it a brace when he used a subtle touch to roll a pass by Yamal under on-rushing goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.

Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano scored from just inside the area when he used one touch to fire in a rebound of a loose ball to make it 2-1 in the 56th. The visitors were searching for a second goal that would have tied the Catalan derby when Dmitrovic tried to clear a long pass but ended up knocking it off Yamal, who only had to push the ball into the open net.

Rashford got his goal when he was set up by fellow substitute Frenkie de Jong, who made his first appearance in over a month after the Netherlands midfielder recovered from a right leg injury.