Real Madrid delayed Barcelona’s title celebrations with a composed 2-0 win over Espanyol on Sunday, powered by a clinical second-half brace from Vinicius Junior that kept La Liga’s outcome on ice for at least another week.
Barcelona had been poised to seal back-to-back titles if Madrid slipped in Catalonia, but Alvaro Arbeloa’s side showed resolve despite an inconsistent run, trimming the gap to 11 points with four games left.
The title race now rolls into a decisive Clasico next weekend, where only a Madrid victory can extend the fight.
Madrid arrived under pressure, short of form and without injured star Kylian Mbappe, having won just three of their previous nine league matches.
Espanyol, meanwhile, were desperate for points in their battle to steer clear of relegation, but their resistance ultimately faded after the break.
The first half lacked cutting edge.
Vinicius came closest, striking the post with a deflected effort, while Federico Valverde and Espanyol’s Leandro Cabrera tested both goalkeepers in a tightly contested spell.
A flashpoint arrived when Omar El Hilali was initially sent off for a challenge on Vinicius, only for VAR to downgrade the decision to a yellow card.
Madrid found their rhythm early in the second half.
Vinicius broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, exchanging passes with substitute Gonzalo Garcia before gliding past defenders and finishing sharply at the near post.
He struck again 11 minutes later, this time with finesse, curling into the top corner after a clever backheel assist from Jude Bellingham.
The Brazilian’s double underlined his growing influence and silenced doubts about his partnership with Mbappe.
Madrid threatened more through Bellingham, Garcia and Franco Mastantuono, but two goals proved sufficient.
Espanyol’s struggles continued, extending their winless run to 17 matches.
They sit 13th, five points above the drop zone, with pressure mounting as the season winds down.
Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano beat Getafe 2-0 ahead of their Conference League semifinal second leg against Strasbourg, while Celta Vigo boosted their European hopes with a 3-1 win over Elche.
Real Betis also strengthened their top-five push, easing past bottom-placed Oviedo 3-0.
