In a derby charged with personal history and fierce rivalry, Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García produced a performance described as "from science fiction" to decisively defeat his former club Espanyol 2-0 on Saturday night. The victory, sealed by late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski, sent Barcelona seven points clear at the top of La Liga, but the story belonged entirely to the man between the posts.
From Teammate to Tormentor: A Derby Defined by One Man
The build-up to the clash at the RCDE Stadium was dominated by García's controversial summer move. Having spent a decade at Espanyol, where he was crowned the club's best player in 2023-24, his €25m transfer to their city rivals in June made him the first player to cross the divide in 31 years. The hostility was palpable. Espanyol fans unveiled banners depicting rats and held aloft cuddly toy rodents, while fake dollar bills labelled "Judas García" fluttered in the stands. Every touch from the 24-year-old was met with a deafening whistle.
Yet, García, described by teammate Jules Koundé as "very calm" and "meticulous", seemed to inhabit a space above the noise. His former flatmate and still-close friend, Espanyol's Jofre Carreras, had called the situation "a bit strange" before kick-off. By full-time, it was simply decisive.
A Masterclass in Goalkeeping
Espanyol, riding a five-game winning streak and sitting fifth, dominated large periods of the match. They created a host of clear chances, only to be repeatedly denied by their former hero. García made seven saves in total, stopping 100% of the shots he faced.
The pick of the bunch was an astonishing reaction stop from point-blank range to deny Pere Milla's powerful header in the second half. The save was so good it drew a respectful, disbelieving fist bump from Milla himself. Earlier, García had twice thwarted striker Roberto one-on-one and produced a sharp near-post stop. In one remarkable sequence, he even shoved his own defender, Gerard Martín, into the path of a rebound he couldn't reach, resulting in a crucial block.
"We didn't deserve this win, I'll be honest," admitted Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who bear-hugged García at the final whistle. "I have to say thank you to Joan García. His body language, his confidence, it's fantastic."
Respect Amidst the Rivalry
Despite the vitriol from the stands, there was clear professional respect on the pitch. At full-time, Espanyol's new goalkeeper, Marko Dmitrovic—who made a spectacular save of his own—embraced García. "He's a great kid," Dmitrovic said. "He's having a great season, even better than last year, which I didn't know was possible."
Espanyol coach Manolo González, who had once said moving to Barcelona was almost a hand-cutting offence, refused to discuss García post-match, tired of his words being twisted. His team's performance, however, spoke of a match they should have won. "I am proud of my team and my fans," González said, unable to explain the defeat beyond the obvious presence of an inspired goalkeeper.
The result leaves Barcelona firmly in control of the title race with 49 points from 19 games, while Espanyol remain a respectable fifth. For Joan García, a night of immense pressure became a defining personal triumph, proving that even the most bitter divide can be bridged, if only temporarily, by a display of sheer, unanswerable brilliance.
