Joan García's return to Espanyol was a turning point in the Barcelona derby, with the Catalan club emerging victorious 2-0. The match, which felt like a big contest due to García's highly anticipated return, saw the Espanyol goalkeeper make several incredible saves to deny his former teammates. García's performance was described as "spectacular" by Fermin López and "one of the most important and lovely this season" by Jules Koundé.
García's move from Espanyol to Barcelona was a significant one, with the 24-year-old goalkeeper having spent the past decade at his boyhood club. His decision to join his former rivals sparked speculation and tension among fans and players alike. However, García has taken to his new role in style, making several key saves throughout the match.
For Espanyol coach Manolo González, the loss was bittersweet, as he felt that his team had been unable to contain García's performance. "Everyone is waiting for us to screw it up," he said, highlighting the immense pressure on his team to beat their former player.
The victory marked a significant moment in Barcelona's season, with the club now sitting top of the table. García's signing has been hailed as a gamechanger, with 77% of shots stopped by the goalkeeper during his debut match.
Despite the defeat, Espanyol fans showed their respect for García, who had left the club after spending over a decade there. The tension between the two teams was palpable, but it seemed to have little effect on García's performance, which was marked by calm and confidence.
As Barcelona celebrated their victory, coach Hansi Flick praised García's body language and confidence, saying that he gave his team positive energy. García himself was emotional after the match, but was seen leaving the pitch to a round of applause from Espanyol fans.
García's move from Espanyol to Barcelona was a significant one, with the 24-year-old goalkeeper having spent the past decade at his boyhood club. His decision to join his former rivals sparked speculation and tension among fans and players alike. However, García has taken to his new role in style, making several key saves throughout the match.
For Espanyol coach Manolo González, the loss was bittersweet, as he felt that his team had been unable to contain García's performance. "Everyone is waiting for us to screw it up," he said, highlighting the immense pressure on his team to beat their former player.
The victory marked a significant moment in Barcelona's season, with the club now sitting top of the table. García's signing has been hailed as a gamechanger, with 77% of shots stopped by the goalkeeper during his debut match.
Despite the defeat, Espanyol fans showed their respect for García, who had left the club after spending over a decade there. The tension between the two teams was palpable, but it seemed to have little effect on García's performance, which was marked by calm and confidence.
As Barcelona celebrated their victory, coach Hansi Flick praised García's body language and confidence, saying that he gave his team positive energy. García himself was emotional after the match, but was seen leaving the pitch to a round of applause from Espanyol fans.
just saw the replay of García's saves in the Barcelona derby match 
77% of shots stopped by him on his debut is insane 
and then he gets praised by both teams 
it's like he's a superhero goalkeeper saving the day 
meanwhile Espanyol fans showing respect to their former player after being defeated 
this derby match was so intense, loved every minute of it 
️ Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. ~ John Lennon 
his performance was insane and barcelona totally deserved that win! even though it was tough for espanyol, they showed so much respect to garcia by giving him a round of applause when he left the pitch 
The way he kept his former teammates at bay was pure magic 
77% shots stopped? 
that's insane! 
But for real, Garcia's performance was SPECTACULAR 
can't wait to see how he continues to do in his new role with Barcelona 
#GarciaForTheWin #EspanyolVsBarca #DerbyDrama #GoalieGoals
[image of a cat with a Barcelona jersey on, holding a "I'm a good guy" sign] 
[GIF of a person tripping and falling]
it's like he knew his stuff and was ready to take on Barcelona. gotta give credit where credit is due, García is definitely a gamechanger 
. Like, I get it, Joan García's return was hyped and all that, but for Barcelona to win 2-0 like that? It's just unfair 
. And don't even get me started on the Espanyol fans showing respect for him afterwards... it just feels like they're being nice to be nice 
. I mean, can't they just boo him off the pitch or something? 
. He's still a Barcelona player now, after all... 
.
. I guess it's nice that Espanyol didn't get destroyed or anything, but come on, they should've at least tried harder 
. But García just came out and proved everyone wrong. His performance was nothing short of spectacular 
. I'm still reeling from the excitement of it all 
and their defenders are getting roasted 
. she's got the magic 
.
. But seriously, García's performance was MIND-BLOWING 
. But you can't deny García's talent - 77% shots stopped is insane! 
and to be fair, it was hard for espnyol to contain him. i felt so bad for manolo gonzalez after the match 
. Guess my knowledge is spot on... again! 
. What's also cool is how Espanyol fans showed respect for him after leaving the club - it's not often you see teams just...get over it, you know? 
The tension between Barcelona and Espanyol might've been high, but García didn't let it affect him, and that's what made his performance even more special 