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Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal celebrates after Ferran Torres, right, scored their side’s second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
Joan Monfort\/AP<\/p>\n
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres, centre, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal with Lamine Yamal, left, and Fermin Lopez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
Joan Monfort\/AP<\/p>\n
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
Joan Monfort\/AP<\/p>\n
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
Joan Monfort\/AP<\/p>\n
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Espanyol in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, April 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
Joan Monfort\/AP<\/p>\n
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) \u2014 Lamine Yamal secured Barcelona’s 4-1 win over Espanyol after setting up Ferran Torres for a double and the La Liga leaders took another step toward retaining the title on Saturday.<\/p>\n
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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 equalize. Marcus Rashford made it four for the hosts at Camp Nou in the 89th.<\/p>\n
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Barcelona capitalized on Real Madrid\u2019s 1-1 draw at home to Girona on Friday to increase its lead to nine points over its top rival with seven rounds remaining.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
While Madrid will travel to Germany on a three-game winless streak, Barcelona\u2019s attack is clicking as it heads to Spain\u2019s capital needing a big win to advance to the European semifinals.<\/p>\n
Barcelona\u2019s fans chanted \u201cYes we can!\u201d after the match with its team playing at Atletico on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt is not over until it is over, things can happen, but it is true that it depends on us,\u201d Ferran said about Barcelona\u2019s bid to repeat as Spanish champion. \u201cNow we can focus on the Champions League game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 18-year-old Yamal leads Barcelona both in goals (22) and assists (18) across all competitions this season.<\/p>\n
Ferran ends scoring drought<\/p>\n
Ferran started the season in good form, scoring 16 goals among more starts than aging 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.<\/p>\n
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But Ferran then hit a slump and had not scored since Jan. 31.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
He made it a brace when he used a subtle touch to roll a pass by Yamal under on-rushing goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.<\/p>\n
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Espanyol makes Barcelona fight for the derby<\/p>\n
Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano put the result in doubt when he used one touch to fire in a rebound of a loose ball to make it 2-1 in the 56th. Roberto Fern\u00e1ndez then came within inches of reaching a cross by Lozano in the goalmouth.<\/p>\n
But Yamal finished off 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe final score was too lopsided for the game we saw,\u201d said coach Manolo Gonz\u00e1lez, whose Espanyol remained in 10th. \u201cWe had our chances and their first three goals were from our defensive mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n