Barcelona secured a crucial 2-0 victory against Las Palmas on Saturday, propelling them back to the summit of LaLiga, though the match itself was far from a classic encounter. Substitutes Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres proved to be the difference-makers in what was otherwise a largely uneventful contest.
The win puts Barcelona in pole position with 54 points, narrowly leading Atlético Madrid by a single point, while Real Madrid sits third with 51 points and a game in hand ahead of their upcoming clash with Girona on Sunday.
The match began with promise when Las Palmas's Sandro tested Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny early on, but the initial excitement quickly gave way to a tactical stalemate. Both teams struggled to create meaningful opportunities in a first half characterized by cautious play and defensive organization.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick's strategic substitution after the break proved decisive when he introduced Dani Olmo for midfielder Fermín López. The change paid dividends in the 62nd minute as Olmo broke the deadlock with a skillful piece of individual brilliance. After receiving a well-placed pass from Lamine Yamal in a crowded penalty area, Olmo created space with a clever right-to-left movement before unleashing a powerful shot that found the net via the crossbar.
"There is no pressure, we are still in the driver's seat and it's up to us to keep it that way," Olmo told Spanish TV Movistar Plus after the match. "I'm very happy to help our team take three points that were very important in the title race against a Las Palmas side that defend very well."
The home side thought they had a chance to level the score when they appealed for a penalty in the 80th minute following an alleged handball by Barcelona defender Eric García. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the referee ruled out the incident due to an offside in the build-up.
As the match entered its final moments, Las Palmas's defensive error in the 95th minute proved costly. Raphinha capitalized on the mistake, setting up Torres who sealed the victory with an unstoppable left-footed finish. The second goal put an end to any hopes of a late comeback from the home side.
"They block passing lanes inside and we have to be a bit more patient to find our way to the goal," Olmo explained, reflecting on the tactical challenge posed by Las Palmas. "In the second half we had more chances and in the end we took this valuable win."
The victory maintains Barcelona's momentum in what is developing into an intriguing three-way title race with Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, with the latter still having the opportunity to close the gap when they face Girona tomorrow.
