Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo found the target as Barcelona opened up a three-point lead at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Osasuna in a rescheduled league match on Thursday night.
The match was initially scheduled to hold on March 8, but was called off minutes before kick-off following the sudden passing of Barcelona’s first-team doctor, Carles Minarro Garcia.
While the rescheduled date for the game did not sit down well, especially with Barca boss Hansi Flick, who criticised the timing of the match just a day after the end of the international break, yet at kick off, it was the Catalans who were the dominant side.
The hosts duly broke the deadlock after just 11 minutes when stand-in striker Ferran Torres tucked home a cross from Alejandro Balde, before Dani Olmo scored from the spot to make it 2-0 10 minutes later.
Olmo, who would later go off due to injury, won the penalty after being fouled by goalkeeper Sergio Herrera and saw his initial spot-kick saved by Herrera, but was asked to retake it due to encroachment by an Osasuna player.
In the second half, Hansi Flick’s side made the points safe after substitutes Fermin Lopez and Robert Lewandowski combined for the third goal. Fermin’s cross was headed home by Lewandowski in the 77th minute to wrap up a swift counter-attack.
The win sees Barcelona stay top of La Liga on 63 points, three points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid and seven points clear of Atletico Madrid.