BARCELONA SECURE 14-POINT LEAD OVER MADRID; ESPANYOL RESULT NOW DETERMINES TITLE

Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late to move Barcelona 14 points clear, leaving them one Madrid loss from the title.

Barcelona secure 14-point lead over Madrid; Espanyol result now determines title
Lewandowski and Torres strike late as Barca secure tenth straight league win - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Barcelona now sit 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, and if Madrid slips up against Espanyol on Sunday, the title’s theirs.

Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock after 81 minutes, nodding in a header, and Torres added another four minutes from the end. Osasuna didn't quit, though Raul Garcia pulled one back late, but Barcelona held on for all three points. They’re inching closer to a second league title in a row, the club’s 29th overall.

If Madrid beats Espanyol, Barcelona’s next chance to seal it comes in the Clásico on May 10 against their biggest rivals.

Flick’s trying to keep his team’s focus on the next match rather than the Clasico, but Barcelona played the first half like a squad with little to lose. Missing the injured Lamine Yamal, they lost a chunk of their energy on the attack. Sure, they dominated possession, but breaking down Osasuna for real chances? That was tough.

Roony Bardghji, filling in for Yamal on the right, managed a decent long shot, but Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, had no trouble stopping it. Honestly, Osasuna nearly shocked everyone before halftime. Ante Budimir battled through two defenders and poked the ball off the post.

Barcelona picked up the pace after the break. Dani Olmo should’ve scored from close range, but he fluffed it. Flick then rolled the dice from the bench, bringing on three subs, including Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, to take over the right flank.

Rashford almost made an immediate impact, curling a shot just over and injecting some much-needed speed. He set up the opener too, swinging in a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who lost his marker and buried his header. Torres, another sub, finished with precision to double the lead.

Still, it wasn’t comfortable. Garcia scored for Osasuna in stoppage time, left wide open in the box, forcing Barcelona to sweat out the last minutes. The Catalans dug in, clearing everything in sight as Osasuna pressed, but finally, they held on for their tenth league win in a row. Now, all they can do is wait.

REVEALED: THE FIVE TOTTENHAM PLAYERS BARCELONA WANT IF SPURS DROP TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Barcelona scouts identified Xavi Simons, Lucas Bergvall, Van de Ven, Romero, and Porro as potential summer transfer targets.

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Five Tottenham stars linked to Barcelona exit as Spurs' relegation looms large - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Barcelona’s got its eye on Tottenham, and if Spurs end up dropping out of the Premier League, things could get wild. You can see why there’s talk that Barcelona’s ready to swoop in and scoop up some of Tottenham’s top talent on the cheap, especially since Tottenham’s facing the possibility of relegation. It’s a mess in North London right now, and Barcelona’s not the only big club watching closely.

Diario SPORT says Barcelona is scouting at least five of Tottenham’s key players. If Spurs really do go down, suddenly a bunch of their stars could be up for grabs at knockdown prices. And with Barcelona still juggling its finances, bargain deals like these are tough for it to pass up.

Xavi Simons is one they’re watching closely. He came up through La Masia, so bringing him back would feel like coming home, plus he’d add plenty of flair and versatility in midfield. Lucas Bergvall’s interesting, too; he almost joined Barcelona before picking Spurs. Injuries and lack of minutes have slowed him down in London, but Barcelona hasn’t stopped believing he’s got huge potential. They could finally land him after missing out on him a couple of years ago.

In defence, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are high on Barca’s wish list. Both guys have proven themselves in the Premier League, and adding them would instantly boost Barcelona’s options at the back. Van de Ven stands out for his speed and ability to play from deep; he’d be a great partner for Pau Cubarsi, and together they could form one of Europe’s most balanced defensive duos.

Pedro Porro’s name is also in the mix. He’d fit right into Barcelona’s attacking style at right-back, but whether they go for him depends on what happens with Jules Kounde. If Barcelona decides to sell Kounde to help balance the books, Porro’s seen as the go-to replacement to deliver attacking runs from defence, which Hansi Flick wants.

All this talk hangs on how Tottenham finishes the season. There are only four Premier League games left, and if Spurs manage to stay up, these deals get way trickier. If they go down, expect a rush of bids not just from Barcelona but also from clubs all over Europe. Still, the chance to play at Camp Nou and return to Champions League football is a big draw, so Barcelona might have the upper hand as things heat up this summer.

WHY BARCELONA IS COOLING INTEREST IN A PERMANENT MARCUS RASHFORD TRANSFER DEAL

Permanent Rashford transfer hits a deadlock. We analyse Barcelona's loan extension bid and Manchester United's firm transfer stance.

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Permanent transfer for Rashford in doubt as club negotiations hit a deadlock - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Reports suggest that FC Barcelona have reversed its stance on Manchester United’s loanee, Marcus Rashford, for a couple of key reasons.

Rashford spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Barcelona, who hold an option to sign him permanently for about £26 million.

The England international managed to score 12 goals and provide 13 assists over 43 appearances, which would make that £26 million fee seem like a reasonable deal for such a versatile forward.

Still, recent reports indicate that Barcelona are having second thoughts about making Rashford’s move permanent. Their initial interest has reportedly cooled.

According to The Athletic, Barcelona feel Rashford missed a crucial chance to shine, especially during Raphinha’s injury absence. There’s also hesitation over the cost, as the club isn’t keen to trigger the purchase option as it stands.

What about a return to Manchester United?

There’s been plenty of speculation about Rashford’s future, whether he stays with Barcelona or heads back to Old Trafford.

While a return was unlikely under former manager Ruben Amorim, things have shifted at Manchester United, making a comeback less far-fetched.

Last month, it came out that Rashford was actively pushing for a permanent move to Barcelona and had even made sacrifices to that end. Meanwhile, United has been keen to let him go and has been pursuing a long-term replacement.

That said, Rashford might have better prospects under Carrick at Man Utd than he did under Amorim, which could make a return mutually beneficial.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano weighed in recently, highlighting that Manchester United remain firm on their position but haven’t closed the door entirely on Rashford’s return.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that United want €30 million for Rashford and are reluctant to negotiate below that. For now, there’s no deal because Barcelona have an agreement with the player but not with United.

Romano emphasised that the situation remains open-ended and clarified that this isn’t related to developments involving Brazilian youngster Conceicao.

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