Soccer Football - LaLiga - FC Barcelona v Osasuna - Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Spain - March 27, 2025 FC Barcelona's Ferran Torres in action with Osasuna's Jorge Herrando REUTERS/Albert Gea
BARCELONA (Reuters) -Barcelona moved three points clear at the top of the LaLiga with an easy 3-0 win over visitors Osasuna on Thursday which extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 19 games.
Forward Ferran Torres opened the scoring for the home side in the 11th minute with a first-touch effort from inside the six-yard box, connecting with Alejandro Balde's cross in a terrific team goal.
Dani Olmo extended the lead 10 minutes later from the penalty spot after he was fouled and Robert Lewandowski's close-range header wrapped up the win in the 77th minute.
Undefeated since late December, Barca are the only team in Europe's top-five league who have yet to lose in 2025. They have 63 points from 28 games with champions Real Madrid in second on 60 and Atletico third on 56 with 10 games to play.
"Every match is a final from now on and today wasn't different. We solved it quickly and soundly and that's the important thing. Three points and move on," Torres told reporters.
In a match originally postponed on March 8 due to the death of the Catalan club's doctor Carles Minarro Garcia, Barca manager Hansi Flick fielded a much-changed team due to absences caused by injuries and fitness of players returning from international duty.
Even with the likes of Lewandowski and Raphinha starting on the bench, however, Barca did not appear to miss a beat and comprehensively outplayed their rivals who did not manage a single shot on target.
Ten minutes after Torres opened the scoring, Pedri sent a long ball through the middle that Olmo took in his stride to beat the offside trap, but was tripped by goalkeeper Sergio Herrera as he attempted to round him.
Herrera made a brilliant save to deny Olmo's first effort from the spot, but the referee ordered the penalty to be retaken due to an Osasuna player entering the box before the kick was taken and the Spanish forward made no mistake wit his second attempt, firing it low to the goalkeeper's right.
Olmo was forced out of the game with what looked like a muscle injury, replaced by academy midfielder Fermin Lopez as Flick's side kept controlling possession and creating several chances mainly through teenage winger Lamine Yamal.
Torres almost extended their lead in the 38th minute, striking a free kick from the edge of the box off the crossbar and Barca wasted several good chances before Lewandowski headed home a Lopez cross from close range.
Osasuna are 14th in the standings.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas, editing by Ed Osmond)
