Espanyol: Diego López; Javi López, David López, Diego Reyes, Aarón Martín; Jurado, Víctor Sánchez, Javi Fuego (Marc Roca 79’), Piatti (Hernán Pérez 66’); Caicedo (Leo Baptistao 61’), Gerard Moreno. 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, André Gomes (Mascherano 78’); Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar. 3-4-3.
Goals:
0-1. 50. Luis Suárez. Intercepted long Jurado back pass and shot wide of keeper.
0-2. 76. Rakitic. Picked up Messi pass and struck angled shot past Diego López.
0-3. 87. Luis Suárez. Rounded keeper to score after Aarón Martín gave ball away.
Yellow cards: Gerard Moreno 14’, aarón Martín 58’, Javi Fuego 68’.
Leaders Barcelona won 0-3 against city rivals Espanyol on Saturday evening, the result keeping Luis Enrique’s side ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference, albeit having played one game more. Jurado missed an early chance for the locals, and Rakitic, Sergi Roberto and Neymar all went close for the visitors in an intense first half. However some five minutes after the break Luis Suárez intercepted a long back pass from Jurado to run on and beat Diego López, and with a quarter of an hour to go Rakitic made it two after picking up a pass from Messi. That ended any chance of a come back, and with three minutes left on the clock Aarón Martín failed to clear a Messi centre, and the ball fell kindly for Luis Suárez to complete the scoring.