LA LIGA : ESPANYOL VS BARCELONA – 15/05/2025 (PHOTO – LAMINE YAMAL CELEBRATES)

THE BEGINNING OF THE MATCH BETWEEN ESPANYOL VS BARCELONA TOOK AN UNEXPECTED SCARY TURN YESTERDAY, WHEN A CAR DROVE INTO ESPANYOL SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE THE STADIUM, WHO HAD BEEN WAITING TO SEE THEIR TEAM’S COACH. THE MATCH WAS DELAYED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, WHILST THE SITUATION WAS ASSESSED, AND THE DRIVER ARRESTED FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING, AND THE MATCH DEEMED SAFE TO CONTINUE. 13 PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR MINOR INJURIES. (WE WISH THEM ALL THE VERY BEST FOR A FULL AND SPEEDY RECOVERY!) BUT IN SPITE OF THIS, THE PLAYER’S MANAGED TO DUST THEMSELVES DOWN AND PLAY-ON.  ESPANYOL MADE 229 PASSES, WITH A 68% PASS ACCURACY, AND HAD 9 SHOTS WITH 1 ON TARGET, BUT NO GOALS YESTERDAY.  (IT CAN’T HAVE HELPED THAT LEANDRO CABRERA WAS SENT OFF AFTER HIS ARM SWUNG INTO LAMAL’S STOMACH WHEN THEY WERE BOTH AFTER THE BALL AT 80 MINS.)  LEANDRO CABRERA MAY WELL BE OFF FOR HIS NEXT MATCH (OR TWO) NOW.  HOWEVER WITH THE WORDING USED TO DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT – “STRIKING WITH HIS ARM ON THE OPPONENT’S STOMACH USING EXCESSIVE FORCE WHILE THE BALL WAS CONTESTED BETWEEN BOTH PLAYERS” – IT DOES SUGGEST THAT IT IS TO BE A STRAIGHT RED CARD RULE. (A 1 MATCH BAN RATHER THAN ANYTHING LONGER.)  BARCELONA MADE 739 PASSES, WITH AN 89% PASS ACCURACY (HAD 76% POSSESSION), AND 12 SHOTS WITH 4 ON TARGET, INCLUDING A STUNNER FROM LAMINE YAMAL AT 53 MINS., AND A CRACKING LATE FINISHER, WHICH WAS SUPERBLY SET UP BY LAMINE YAMAL FOR FERMIN LOPEZ TO FIRE HOME AT 90 +6 MINS!  SO THE MATCH CULMINATED IN A 2 – 0 WIN TO BARCELONA, WITH BARCELONA WINNING THE LA LIGA TITLE!

LA LIGA : ESPANYOL VS BARCELONA – 15/05/2025