Olmo praises a teammate 'like a superhero' who helped Barca secure victory in the Catalunya derby

After Barca defeated Espanyol 2-0 in the Catalunya derby, midfielder Dani Olmo expressed great admiration for his teammate Joan Garcia.

The match at RCDE Stadium between Barca and Espanyol unfolded exactly as expected with an intense hostile atmosphere against coach Hansi Flick's team. Notably, Joan Garcia became the focus of loud jeers and overwhelming pressure from the fans of his former club. Last season, he shone at Espanyol, but in the 2025/26 season, Garcia is now a Barca player. This was something Espanyol supporters strongly disliked.

However, instead of succumbing or making mistakes under immense pressure, the young Spanish goalkeeper delivered an impressive performance. Garcia’s outstanding saves helped Blaugrana keep a clean sheet against Espanyol, laying a solid foundation for the final victory.

Dani Olmo, who scored Barca’s opening goal, showered praise on his goalkeeper in the post-match interview. Olmo’s opinion was very clear: "Today, we are very happy to welcome the new year with a win. Joan was truly extraordinary. He is an excellent goalkeeper. Against Espanyol, Garcia played an outstanding match right in front of his former fans and kept a clean sheet. He was like a superhero. I believe Garcia will contribute a lot more to this team."

Dani Olmo himself had a memorable day on the pitch. Returning from a shoulder dislocation injury, the Spanish star immediately shone by scoring the breakthrough goal before Robert Lewandowski sealed the 2-0 win.

Reflecting on his recent experience, Olmo is determined to perform even better and more consistently because his goal is to help Barca win every trophy and aim for a spot in the 2026 World Cup with the Spanish national team: "Before the Catalunya derby, we knew it would be challenging, but Barca responded in its own way. We took advantage of our chances better. Now it’s time to focus on the Spanish Super Cup."

Currently, Barca still leads the 2025/26 La Liga standings. They have temporarily extended their lead over their biggest rival Real by 7 points, although they have played one more match.