Barcelona 1 - Espanyol 2

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Daniel Alves, Piqué, Márquez, Abidal (Puyol 23'); Xavi, Touré Yaya, Keita; Messi, Eto'o (Gudjohnsen 65'), Henry (Sergio Busquets 46 '). 4-3-3.
Espanyol: Kameni; Sergio Sánchez, Jarque, Pareja, David García; Moisés Hurtado; Luis García, Ángel (Román 37'), De la Peña (Coro 72'), Nené (Tamudo 88'); Iván Alonso. 4-1-4-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: Márquez, Touré Yaya, Messi, Henry for Martín Cáceres, Sergio Busquets, Hleb, Iniesta / Espanyol: Jarque, Moisés Hurtado, Ángel, De la Peña for Torrejón, Coro, Lola, Román.

Goals:
0-1. 50. De la Peña. Header past Valdés on far post from Nené's lofted cross.
0-2. 55. De la Peña. Intercepted bad Valdés clearance and lobbed ball over keeper.
1-2. 62. Touré Yaya. Picked up loose ball on edge of area and shot past Kameni.

Yellow cards: Pareja 16', Piqué 20', Eto'o 38', Luis García 38', Busquets 52', Jarque 52', Xavi 55', De la Peña 57', Sergio Sánchez 60', Touré 73', Puyol 76', Iván Alonso 87' / red cards: Keita 37'.

A surprise 1-2 victory by Espanyol over city rivals Barcelona opened up the league title. Guardiola's side had not lost in the Nou Camp all season, but a bad tempered first half left them a man short after Keita was sent off for a lunging tackle on Moisés. Abidal and Angel were both injured as well, and the only real chance came when Henry headed Messi's cross over the bar.

It was De la Peña who did the damage though in a five minute period early in the second half, heading in Nené's cross then taking advantage of a bad clearance by Valdés to make it two. It was the ex Barça midfielder's first goals in four years!

Touré Yaya pulled one back after the defence failed to clear Messi's cross, but this time there was no further come back and Espanyol had their first league win in fifteen games. Barça have only picked up one point now from their last two games, and Real Madrid closed the gap on them to seven points with a big win over Sporting.