Fermín provided the assists for Barça's two goals against Espanyol

FC Barcelona secured a very important victory in the Barcelona derby thanks to the inspiration of Fermín López, who came off the bench to become the true architect of the Blaugrana triumph. The midfielder, who came on at halftime in place of Marcus Rashford, provided two masterful assists that allowed Barça to take all three points from Cornellá in the final minutes.

The Barça youth academy product once again demonstrated his special connection with the derby against Espanyol. If in matchday 36 of last season's LaLiga he was the protagonist with a goal, on this occasion his contribution was even more decisive with two assists that changed the course of the match. Fermín's performance consolidates his importance in Hansi Flick's system and confirms his ability to make a difference in key moments.

Fermín unlocks the match with a moment of class

The match seemed destined for a draw until Fermín López appeared in the 86th minute to break the tie. The Spanish midfielder drove the ball through the center with a masterful progression, overcoming pressing lines and creating space where there was none. His vision of the game allowed him to connect perfectly with Dani Olmo at the left edge of the box, who did not waste the opportunity, scoring a true golazo.

The man from Terrassa, with a first touch and millimeter-perfect execution, sent the ball into the right corner of the white-and-blue keeper, unleashing blue-and-red euphoria at the RCDE Stadium. Olmo's goal in the 86th minute was a definitive psychological blow for Espanyol, who had defended resolutely for most of the match. The connection between Fermín and Olmo, two players who came off the bench, demonstrated FC Barcelona's squad depth

The final ride that sealed the derby: assist to Lewandowski

But **Fermín López** didn't settle for one assist. In the 90th minute, when **Espanyol** was desperately seeking an equalizer, the youth academy player reappeared with another unstoppable run from midfield. His speed, ball control, and ability to make sound decisions under pressure were decisive in the play that culminated in the definitive 0-2 score.**Robert Lewandowski**, another of the players who had come off the bench, received the perfect pass from **Fermín** and did not miss against the white-and-blue goal. The Polish striker sealed the derby with his usual goal-scoring instinct, putting the finishing touch on a comeback that seemed impossible minutes before. Three of the four protagonists of the victory —**Olmo**, **Lewandowski**, and **Fermín**— had entered the field from the bench, demonstrating the importance of **Hansi Flick**'s substitutions

Fermín López Statistics in 2025-26

SOURCE: FCBN