BARCELONA, Spain – Dani Olmo made a significant impact after coming off the bench, scoring to secure Barcelona’s 2-0 victory against Las Palmas on Saturday, allowing them to maintain their lead in the Spanish league.

The breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Lamine Yamal assisted Olmo by exploiting a gap in Las Palmas’ defense. After receiving a precise pass from Yamal, Olmo adeptly maneuvered the ball onto his left foot, creating a shooting angle that enabled him to strike the ball off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

Although Olmo entered the match at halftime, Ferran Torres made a late appearance and capped the scoring with a well-placed goal from a tight angle during stoppage time. “Las Palmas is a team that defends well and closes down the interior passing lanes, so we had to remain patient,” said Olmo. He added, “In the second half, the spaces opened up, and we were able to score and take the three points.”

This match allowed Barcelona to seek redemption following an unexpected home defeat to the Canary Islands team in November, reaffirming their position at the top of the league table. Under coach Hansi Flick, Barcelona is currently one point ahead of Atletico Madrid, who triumphed 3-0 against Valencia earlier on Saturday, while Real Madrid trails by three points and is set to play Girona on Sunday, missing the suspended Jude Bellingham.

Barcelona will face Atletico in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal on Tuesday.

In another match, Julián Álvarez scored two goals to guide Atletico Madrid to a straightforward win at Mestalla Stadium. Antoine Griezmann contributed to both of Álvarez’s goals in the first half with perfectly executed lob passes into Valencia’s penalty area.

Álvarez opened the scoring in the 12th minute, benefiting from a Griezmann lift that deflected off the bar after a volley from Samuel Lino. Guiliano Simeone reacted quickly to set up Álvarez for a close-range finish. About 20 minutes later, Griezmann again found Álvarez in space, allowing him to nod the ball into the net from the ground, doubling the advantage for Atletico. Ángel Correa sealed the game with a goal just four minutes from time. “We are still in the fight,” Álvarez expressed after the match.

Valencia, unfortunately, remained in the relegation zone following their defeat.

Villarreal keeps its Champions League hopes alive, with striker Ayoze Pérez scoring his 11th goal of the season in a narrow 1-0 victory against a 10-man Rayo Vallecano. This result solidifies Villarreal’s fifth-place standing, keeping them in contention for a top-four finish necessary for Champions League qualification, as Athletic Bilbao sits fourth, just one point ahead.

Rayo Vallecano struggled after Jorge de Frutos was red-carded just before halftime, and they also lost key midfielder Isi Palazón to injury early in the match. Pérez’s decisive goal came in the 66th minute, demonstrating Villarreal’s determination to secure a Champions League spot.

In other news, Espanyol achieved their first away win of the season, overcoming Alaves 1-0 due to a Fernando Calero header and solid performances from keeper Joan García. This loss intensified the pressure on Alaves coach Eduardo Coudet as his team continues to face relegation fears.