Las Palmas 0-2 Barcelona Highlights: Olmo, Torres find the net as Barca leads La Liga 2024-25 standings

Las Palmas 0-2 Barcelona Highlights: Olmo, Torres find the net as Barca leads La Liga 2024-25 standings

Goals from super-subs Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres sees Barcelona pull off a convincing victory against Las Palmas. The result bolsters Barca’s chances to clinch the league title, as it leads the standings, with 54 points from 25 matches.

The Torres-Raphinha combination finally strikes as the latter sets up the Spaniard, who rattles the net as the ball gets in off the crossbar. Barcelona is now two goals ahead.

Raphinha tries to set up Ferran Torres in the final third with a through ball. But Jasper Cillessen gets to the ball first to put that attack to bed.

The referee chooses to have a look a the monitor to decide for himself, after consulting VAR. And after looking at the incident, he rules off-side against Las Palmas as two yellow shirts are seen ahead of the line before the shot was played.

Las Palmas’ Suarez takes a shot after the ball is whipped into the box and as it hits Garcia’s hand, the hosts appeal for a penalty vehemently. Suarez is booked for the over-reaction and the referee consults with VAR for a potential spot-kick.

Barcelona looks to switch to more attacking options as Ferran Torres gets ready to come on. It will be interesting to see whether he Lewandowski or Raphinha up front.

Balde marches into the final third with the ball and passes to Lewandowski on his right. The Pole takes a left-footed hit which misses the target. The striker has scored from those positions before but there was no luck in his favour this time.

Yamal runs rings around the Las Palmas defence as he draws the defenders towards his and then crosses to Lewandowski, who keeps his header on target. But Cillessen makes another save.

Flick’s boys go for a counterattack immediately, with Raphinha tries to set up Yamal on the far post. But the Spaniard fails to get to the cross in time.

Sandro gets the loose ball outside the box and tries a long ranger with his right foot. However, the ball goes off-target.

Las Palmas makes three changes as it hopes to make a comeback. Campana, Fustea and Mata take the field as the hosts’ fans cheer, spurring the side on to find the equaliser.

The last time Barcelona beat Las Palmas in an away fixture was in January 2024. It was a 2-1 victory for the Catalans but so far, as the match edged close to the hour mark, Barca has not been able to find an opening.

Barcelona has replaced Fermin Lopez with Dani Olmo as it looks for more firepower up front and Yamal’s shot hits Olmo’s arm to end one attack as Flick’s men go for another eventually. Meanwhile, Las Palmas tries to attack on the counter and is ruled off-side.

Yamal tries to set up Raphinha, this time from the right and the Brazilian goes down appealing for a penalty. But the referee is the not interested. Meanwhile, Ls Palmas attacks against the run of play and Essugo beats two markers to launch a shot, which is blocked for a corner – one that is eventually cleared by Raphinha.

Barcelona looks to have done some proper homework in half-time as it soaks in the pressure as Balde and Raphinha then try to go for an attack but the ball goes out of play.

Despite both sides going for goal, neither could beat the last line of defence as the referee blows the half-time whistle. The score remains locked at 0-0.

Barcelona gets a chance to find an opening as Casado is fouled outside the box and the referee gives a free-kick, minutes before half-time. Raphinha and Lewandowski get ready for the kick and the former takes it, hitting the wall.

Fermin Lopez has been everywhere tonight. This time, he tries to set up Raphinha along the left flank. He delivers a lofted ball but the Brazilian forward fails to get to it in time and another chance goes begging for the vistors.

McBurnie tries to beat Pedri to get to the ball but ends up conceding a foul and Las Palmas’ plot to attack against the run of play is put to bed. Meanwhile, Balde tries to score for Barca and Cillessen makes another regulation save.

Fermin sets up Lamin Yamal in the box after Las Palmas struggles in defence but Yamal’s left-footed hit just goes off-target. Cillessen was left unmoved but the ball failed to find the net!

Raphinha tries to go for the magnificent from distance but his shot is caught comfortably by Cillessen. The last time Barce played Palmas, it lost the match and lost the top position in the standings. Flick, of all, will remember that.

Moleiro jogs into the final third, notices his marker Kounde and drops his shoulder to his right and goes for a shot. It beats the Barca goalie but sadly, beats the goal too.

Lewandowski, Fermin and Yamal try to find an opening but Marmol makes a brilliant clearance to deny any chance to Flick’s boys to score the opening goal in this match.

Las Palmas tries to attack against the run of play again and though Cubarsi loses the race, Szczesny makes a timey stop. Seconds later, Balde comes to Barca’s rescue to stifle another counterattack by the hosts.

Las Palmas has crowded the lower block with six yellow shirts and Barca tries and tests to find a gap for scoring the opening goal. So far, it has been the hosts who have had the better chances.

Las Palmas attacks against the play and Ramirez forces a corner through a right-footed shot that is saved. The set-piece has Marmol’s shot then saved for another corner. However, this one ends as a goal-kick.

Barcelona is caught napping as Oliver McBurnie gets the ball in the final third and tries to go solo. He beats Cubarsi but Kounde puts the development to bed, stealing the ball off the Scot.

After Barcelona clear the all whipped in from the corner, Viti goes for a volley from distance and as the home fans stand up to cheer, the ball sails the net.

Lewandowski gets another chance to make amends, trying to shoot through a free-kick. However, his shot goes over net the net, causing no trouble for the Dutch goalie.

Fermin Lopez sets up Lewandowski in front of the net but the Poland captain fails to get a proper touch on it and the score remains locked at 0-0.

Moleiro makes a run into the final third and shoots on target. Szczesny stops the ball but fails to hold on to it and McBurnie reaches it. However, he fails to make the most of it.

Raphinha takes the free-kick, which beats the Las Palmas defence and through Garcia gets a touch on it, Cillessen catches it comfortably.

Kick Off! The match begins with Barcelona starting from left to right while the hosts begin from the other end and Las Palmas blocks a through ball to Lewandowski but concede a free-kick eventually.

The players take their positions after shaking hands. Barcelona will start in its away black kit while La Palmas starts in its home kit, with the conventional colours of yellow and blue.

The fans have filled up the stadium with the home colours of yellow and blue, that of UD Las Palmas and the final warm-ups before the game are done. It is a matter of time that the game kicks off!

Barcelona travels to Las Palmas on Saturday in La Liga aiming to do what it, champion Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have failed to manage in recent weeks.

Having clawed its way back to the top of the pile, leading Los Blancos on goal difference, Hansi Flick’s side is determined to hold on to top spot.

Barcelona led for most of the first half of the season before a collapse in November and December saw it drop to third.

Atletico Madrid beat Barca just before Christmas to take the lead but after stumbling at minnows Leganes in January, Real Madrid took control.

It opened up a seven-point lead on third-place Barca but with no wins in their last three games, Flick’s team muscled its way back in.

Barca beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 on Monday to reclaim top spot for the first time in 2025 and this time, it plans to keep it.

“Getting that first place is positive for the fans,” said Flick. “Now we are back and we are very happy.”

Published on Feb 23, 2025