Espanyol go top alone after Barça defeat

The junior round is over, with Espanyol now alone at the top of the group. Their emphatic win against Sant Andreu, combined with Barça’s loss to Sabadell, reshaped the standings. It was Barça’s first defeat.

Barça had gone ahead through Erik after a scrappy move. Yann then equalised before Erik set up Samu to make it 1-2. Nuhu added a third for Barça, assisted by Guerrero. Sabadell fought back, with Pau pulling one back from the penalty spot before Alieu and Omar completed the comeback in the second half, making use of their numerical advantage.

The decisive turning point came just before the interval. Guerrero was sent off in the 45th minute following a dispute with an opponent, leaving Barça with ten players for the entire second half. The side was also weakened by the absence of six of its under-18 internationals, who were unable to fly back because of Saturday’s weather alert.

Sant Andreu, meanwhile, put up a stern challenge with a compact defence that offered little space. Espanyol looked to make an impact from the outset, with Polli and Pol Escribano pressing forward. The victory leaves Espanyol alone at the summit after Barça’s slip-up.