Incredible goal from Lewandowski that destroys Espanyol’s hopes in the Catalan derby! FC Barcelona won 0-2 in a match full of tension and emotion at the RCDE Stadium, thanks to a sensational and almost incredible shot by Robert Lewandowski in the 90th minute, which left the parakeet fans with their hands on their heads and generated intense reactions in the stands.

The Barcelona derby between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona, ​​corresponding to matchday 18 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26, was a match of maximum rivalry that remained even until the final minutes.

Barcelona, ​​leader of the standings, arrived with an impressive streak of victories, while Espanyol, fifth in the table and in great shape with five consecutive wins, sought to surprise at home and stop their eternal rival.

From the opening whistle, the atmosphere in Cornellà-El Prat was electric. The blue and white fans received with hostility Joan García, the Barça goalkeeper who returned to his old stadium after his summer signing for the Catalans.

Banners with harsh messages, constant whistles and even thrown objects marked the goalkeeper’s return, but García responded with a stellar performance that was key to the visitor’s victory.

The first half was intense, with Espanyol dominating the clear chances. The parakeets pressed high and generated constant danger, but they ran into an inspired Joan García. In the 39th minute, the goalkeeper made a stratospheric save on a header from Pere Milla that seemed like a goal.

Other key interventions kept the score at 0-0 at half-time, frustrating the hosts and keeping Barça in the game.

In the second half, Hansi Flick introduced decisive changes: Fermín López at half-time, and then Pedri, Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski around the 64th minute.

Espanyol continued to create opportunities, with Marko Dmitrović also shining between the sticks with important saves, such as one against Eric García in the 71st minute.

Manolo González’s team deserved at least a draw due to their intensity and dominance, but the lack of success in finishing took its toll on them.

The match seemed headed for a goalless draw until, in the 86th minute, Dani Olmo broke the deadlock with a great goal. After a great play by Fermín López, who burst in with power, Olmo placed a curved shot into the upper right corner, impossible for Dmitrović.

The RCDE Stadium remained momentarily silent, with the parakeet fans incredulous at the blow.

But the best was yet to come. Just four minutes later, in the 90th minute, Robert Lewandowski’s magical moment arrived. Fermín López was once again the protagonist with an explosive run down the right wing, rushing the baseline and placing a perfect low cross.

Lewandowski, with his predatory instinct, made a crazy and illogical shot: he tried to hit the ball over the goalkeeper, but the ball bounced off his body and into the goal.

An almost incredible goal, world class, that sealed the 0-2 and unleashed euphoria on the culé bench.

The reaction of the Espanyol fans was immediate and passionate. Many put their hands to their heads, stunned by what had just happened in a moment of madness.

Some, in the heat of the derby, threw water bottles onto the pitch, directed especially at Fermín López during the celebration of the second goal.

Security had to intervene to calm things down, in an episode that reflected the frustration of fans who saw how their team, superior for much of the match, was left without reward.

This decisive goal from Lewandowski not only crushed Espanyol’s hopes of scoring in the derby, but also established Barcelona as the solid leader of LaLiga, provisionally extending the lead to seven points over Real Madrid.

For Lewy, it was his ninth goal of the season, demonstrating once again why he remains one of the best forwards in the world at 37 years old. His finishing, with that subtle and opportunistic touch, was praised by teammates and analysts as an example of experience and quality.

Fermín López, with two assists, was another of Barça’s heroes. His entry changed the game, providing freshness and verticality that unbalanced the Perica defense in the final minutes.

Hansi Flick, at the end of the match, praised the collective performance and especially that of Joan García: “We have to thank Joan because he played incredibly. In front of his old fans, he kept a clean sheet and was decisive.”

On Espanyol’s part, the defeat was tough. Manolo González’s team stood up to the leader, dominated in possession and chances, but paid dearly for their lack of aim.

Players like Pere Milla, Tyrhys Dolan and Edu Expósito generated constant danger, but García’s stops and the culé’s effectiveness on counterattacks made the difference.

This Catalan derby will go down in history for its tension, for the controversial return of Joan García and, above all, for that sensational goal by Lewandowski that left the entire stadium in shock.

The blue and white fans could not believe what Lewa had done in that moment of madness, a shot that seemed illogical but ended up being lethal.

Barcelona starts 2026 on a firm footing, maintaining its undefeated streak and sending a clear message to its pursuers. Meanwhile, Espanyol, despite the disappointment, remains in European positions and shows that it is a revelation team this season.

Without a doubt, a match that football lovers will remember for the drama until the last second.

Lewandowski invents magic and Barça wins the derby! If you want to relive the moment, look for the highlights of Lewandowski’s goal against Espanyol: a finish from another planet that has gone around the world.