Barcelona manager Hansi Flick made a stunning admission after his team's 2-0 victory over local rivals Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday, January 3, 2026, stating his side did not deserve the three points. The German tactician heaped praise on goalkeeper Joan Garcia, whose heroic performance was the foundation for a win secured by two very late goals.
Flick's Frank Admission and Goalkeeping Masterclass
In a post-match interview, Flick was brutally honest about his team's performance. "We didn't deserve it, I will be honest. I have to say thank you to Joan García because he played unbelievably," Flick stated. He went further, labelling Garcia as "one of the best goalkeepers in the world." The manager also acknowledged the role of Espanyol's coach, Manolo González, in developing Garcia's confidence during the previous season, which put him on the radar of Europe's elite clubs.
The scoreline hides what was a dominant display from fifth-placed Espanyol for the vast majority of the match. The home side's attack, led by Pere Milla and Roberto Fernández, repeatedly tested Garcia, who was playing his first game at his former club since transferring to Barcelona last summer. Garcia's standout moment came in the 39th minute with a spectacular reflex save, using one hand to palm a point-blank header from Milla over the crossbar.
Late Substitutes Change the Game
Despite Espanyol's control, the match turned on its head in the final minutes due to the impact of Barcelona's substitutes. Fermín López, who came off the bench, was the architect of both goals. First, in the 86th minute, his clever pass found fellow substitute Dani Olmo, who expertly lobbed the ball over Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dimitrovic to break the deadlock.
Fermín was not done. Just four minutes later, in the 90th minute, he dribbled past his marker on the right side of the box and laid off a perfect pass for Robert Lewandowski to seal the victory. Flick highlighted the quality shown by these players off the bench as a key factor in the late turnaround.
Consequences and Key Statistics
The result had significant implications for both sides. For Espanyol, the defeat snapped an impressive run of five consecutive victories, their best winning streak since the 1998-99 season. They were left to rue their inability to beat the inspired Joan Garcia, who made a series of crucial saves in the second half to keep his clean sheet intact.
For Barcelona, the win, however fortuitous, allowed them to maintain their position at the top of the La Liga table. The match underscored the importance of squad depth and individual brilliance, with Garcia's performance being the undeniable talking point. The final 2-0 score was a harsh reflection on an Espanyol side that dominated possession and chances for over 80 minutes of a fiercely contested Catalan derby.
