A clinical brace from Vinícius Júnior ensured Real Madrid left Catalonia with a 2-0 victory over Espanyol on Sunday, forcing La Liga leaders Barcelona to put their title celebrations on hold.
Barcelona would have secured the title had Madrid dropped points, but the win trims the gap at the top to 11 points with four games remaining in the La Liga season.
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Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa acknowledged the significance of the result ahead of next week’s decisive Clasico clash.
“We’ve got a big game coming against a great rival, who are doing things very well,” Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV. “It’s special for the fans and for us. We’ll rest well and prepare properly.”
Barcelona, chasing their 29th league title, will now have another opportunity to seal the crown when they host Madrid in a high-stakes Clasico, where only a Real victory can delay their coronation further.
Despite arriving in Catalonia in inconsistent form and without injured star Kylian Mbappe, Madrid controlled large spells of the match but initially struggled to create clear chances.
Vinicius came closest in the first half, striking the post with a deflected effort, while also engaging in a heated duel with Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali.
The defender was initially sent off for a challenge on the Brazilian before VAR downgraded the decision to a yellow card.
Federico Valverde tested goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic with a header, while Madrid keeper Andriy Lunin denied Leandro Cabrera at the other end.
After a goalless first half, Vinicius eventually broke the deadlock and added a second to secure the victory, ensuring Madrid remain mathematically in the title race, albeit with the odds heavily in Barcelona’s favour.
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