Vinícius Júnior’s Brace Keeps Real Madrid Alive as Barcelona’s Title Wait Continues

A night built on tension, timing, and talent ended with Vinícius Júnior taking centre stage, as Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2–0 to postpone FC Barcelona ’s title celebrations and keep La Liga’s final stretch alive.

Barcelona had moved within touching distance of back to back Spanish league titles after beating Osasuna 2–1 on Saturday, stretching their lead and waiting for Madrid’s slip. But Madrid refused to fold.

At the RCDE Stadium, Espanyol held firm for most of the night, frustrating Madrid in a game that carried huge consequences at both ends of the table. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 55th minute when Vinícius Júnior produced a sharp piece of skill inside the box, breaking past defenders before finishing with precision to open the scoring.

Eleven minutes later, he struck again. A clever back heel from Jude Bellingham unlocked the defence, and Vinícius curled the ball into the top corner to seal the result in style.

Espanyol’s task became harder earlier when a red card decision against Omar El Hilali was overturned to a yellow after VAR review, but Madrid were already in control. The only setback for the visitors came with an early injury to Ferland Mendy , forcing a defensive reshuffle.

The result ensures Barcelona’s title celebrations are delayed once again. The Catalan giants will now look to seal the championship in a high-stakes El Clásico at Camp Nou next weekend.

Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa called it a “special game for the fans” and stressed focus ahead of the showdown, as the rivalry now shapes the title race.

Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano strengthened their European push with a 2–0 win over Getafe, while Celta Vigo boosted their continental hopes with a 3–1 victory over Elche. Real Betis also stayed strong with a 3–0 win over Oviedo.

But the night belonged to Madrid’s resilience and Vinícius’ brilliance, ensuring Barcelona must wait a little longer for confirmation.