Barcelona battled to a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Las Palmas on Saturday, reclaiming the La Liga lead after a tense encounter.
Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres delivered the crucial goals, ensuring Barca took back the top spot from Atletico Madrid, who had briefly overtaken them earlier in the day. The win also served as payback for a shocking home defeat to Las Palmas earlier in the season.
The first half saw Barcelona struggle to break down a resilient Las Palmas defense, lacking sharpness in front of goal. Head coach Hansi Flick responded by bringing on Dani Olmo at halftime, a move that proved decisive.
Olmo initially misplaced a pass but quickly made amends, finishing brilliantly after being teed up by Lamine Yamal. Las Palmas fought back, with former Barca forward Sandro RamÃrez coming close, but the visitors held firm.
As the hosts pushed forward for an equalizer, Barcelona found gaps on the counter. Yamal set up Robert Lewandowski for a header, but the Polish striker’s effort was comfortably saved by Jasper Cillessen. Lewandowski later missed another chance after great work by Alejandro Balde.
A late VAR check denied Las Palmas a penalty shout, and deep into stoppage time, Ferran Torres sealed the win. A defensive error gifted Raphinha possession, and he laid it off for Torres, who blasted home to wrap up the three points.
With this victory, Barcelona sit one point ahead of Atletico Madrid, while Real Madrid, currently third, could draw level if they beat Girona later. Meanwhile, Las Palmas find themselves in trouble, sitting just above the relegation zone.
