Barcelona: Valdés; Dani Alves,
Piqué, Mascherano, Fontás (Abidal 70'); Xavi (Keita 89'),
Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro (Afellay 82'), Messi, Villa. 4-3-3.
Espanyol: Kameni; Galán, Jordi Amat, Raúl
Rodríguez, Chica; Javi Márquez, Javi López (Isaías
76'); Verdú, Iván Alonso (Luis García 46'),
Callejón (Alvaro Vázquez 58'); Osvaldo. 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 29. Iniesta. Won ball back outside area and
drove shot past Kameni.
2-0. 47. Piqué. Got ahead of marker to head
Xavi corner in on near post.
Yellow cards: Pedro 61', Luis García 61', Kameni 62', Isaís 84'.
Barcelona are just one point off a third league title in a row after a 2-0 victory over Espanyol on Sunday evening. Real Madrid's victory the night before had temporarily closed the gap to five points, but a win over their city neighbours means that a draw in Levante on Wednesday will be enough. Pedro and Iniesta both tested Kameni before Iniesta won back the ball on the edge of the area before beating the keeper with an angled shot midway through the first half. And two minutes after the restart Piqué ran in on the near post to head Xavi's corner in for a second. Only Osvaldo caused any problems for Valdés in the second half, but Villa could have added to the lead had been able to turn in Iniesta's cross near the end.