Vinicius Junior scored twice, leading Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Espanyol, postponing FC Barcelona’s La Liga title coronation. A win for Madrid was crucial to keep Barcelona from clinching the title with four games left, setting the stage for a decisive Clasico next weekend. Despite the win, Madrid remains 11 points behind Barcelona, with the title race poised for a thrilling finish.
Vinicius came close to scoring early on, hitting the woodwork, while Madrid suffered a setback as left back Ferland Mendy picked up an injury. Referee Jesus Gil Manzano initially showed a red card to Espanyol’s Omar El Hilali for a foul on Vinicius, later downgraded to a yellow after a VAR review. Madrid’s goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin, made a crucial save towards the end of the first half, denying Leandro Cabrera’s header from a corner.
In the second half, Vinicius broke the deadlock with a goal ten minutes in, assisted by Fede Valverde, before adding a second with a well-placed shot following a pass from Jude Bellingham. The victory keeps Madrid’s slim title hopes alive, while Espanyol continues to seek their first win of 2026.
Barcelona had earlier secured a 2-1 win over Osasuna, with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres after Raul Garcia’s late consolation. Real Betis further solidified their fifth-place position with a 3-0 win over Oviedo, courtesy of Cucho Hernandez and Abde Ezzalzouli’s goals. Celta Vigo triumphed 3-1 over Elche, with goals from Hugo Alvarez, Iago Aspas, and Borja Iglesias.
Rayo Vallecano moved closer to safety with a 2-0 victory against Getafe, while Villarreal secured a Champions League spot for next season with a 5-1 win over Levante. Atletico Madrid, resting key players, still managed a 2-0 win against Valencia, and Athletic Club overcame Alaves 4-2 away, with Nico Williams scoring twice in coach Ernesto Valverde’s 500th game in charge.
