In a fiercely contested Barcelona derby defined by a goalkeeper's homecoming, Joan García produced a series of breathtaking saves to secure a vital 2-0 victory for his new club against his former employers, Espanyol. The win at the RCDE Stadium extended Barcelona's lead at the La Liga summit to seven points.
A Derby Defined by a Goalkeeper's Return
The narrative was inescapable. Last summer, García became the first player in 31 years to cross the city divide directly from Espanyol to Barcelona, activating a €25 million buyout clause. The move was met with fury by Espanyol supporters, who branded him a 'Judas'. On his return, the atmosphere was venomous, with banners depicting rats and fake dollar bills bearing his name. Yet, the 24-year-old goalkeeper responded not with words, but with a performance of immense calm and stunning quality.
"He’s a very calm guy; he prepared like always, very meticulous. He has so much confidence," said Barcelona defender Jules Koundé after the match. García's pre-match demeanour, quietly applauding his former teammate Jofre Carreras's 100-game presentation, gave no hint of the storm he would weather.
Stops from Another Planet
Espanyol, in fine form and sitting fifth, dominated large periods of the game. They created a host of clear chances, only to be repeatedly denied by their former hero. García made seven crucial saves, five of which were of the highest order.
He denied striker Roberto one-on-one twice, made sharp stops at both posts, and even orchestrated a last-ditch block by shoving his own defender, Gerard Martín, into the path of a rebound. The defining moment, however, came from a point-blank Pere Milla header. García reacted instinctively, throwing out an arm to make an improbable save that left Milla himself shaking his head in disbelief before offering a respectful fist bump.
"That save’s one of the most important and lovely this season," Koundé remarked. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was blunt in his assessment: "We didn’t deserve this win, I’ll be honest. I have to say thank you to Joan García."
From Roommates to Rivals
The personal subplot added profound depth to the contest. García and Espanyol's Jofre Carreras have been close friends since childhood, sharing a room for four years at Espanyol's residency and later an apartment. "I hope people don’t get angry but he’s my friend," Carreras said before the match, calling the situation "a bit strange".
That friendship was set aside for 90 minutes as Carreras and his teammates launched everything at García's goal. After the final whistle, a clean sheet miraculously preserved, it was García's replacement at Espanyol, Marko Dmitrovic, who embraced him. "He’s a great kid... Another at this level and he’ll be the best in the world," Dmitrovic said.
The victory, sealed by late goals from Dani Olmo (86 minutes) and Robert Lewandowski, was built on García's foundation. His 77% save percentage this season has been transformative for Barcelona, and on this night, it was a perfect 100%. As Spanish newspapers declared him "from science fiction" and "Super Joan", the derby proved that the most painful step for Espanyol was not his departure, but his decisive return.
