Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga as a strong second-half performance sealed a comfortable home win against relegation-threatened Real Oviedo at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The Catalans, who had been overtaken by Real Madrid the day before, replied with a better performance after the break to put their title hopes back on track.
Barcelona dominated possession in the first half, but unable to convert it into clear opportunities.
Real Oviedo sat deep and were well-organized, allowing the hosts little real opportunities.
Raphinha came near in stoppage time, but his shot was saved by Oviedo goalkeeper Aaron Escandell, who was well shielded by his defence.
The game shifted fast following the restart. Dani Olmo took advantage of a defensive error by David Carmo and finished neatly to give Barcelona the lead six minutes into the second half. Moments later, another error in the back proved costly for Oviedo.
This time, David Costas was dispossessed, allowing Raphinha to charge through on goal and delicately chip Escandell to double Barcelona’s lead.
With Oviedo stretched, Barcelona gained confidence and control as the game progressed.
The clinching third goal came in the 74th minute. Olmo surged forward from midfield before throwing a dangerous cross into the box, where teenage winger Lamine Yamal scored acrobatically to seal the win.
Robert Lewandowski had an opportunity to score a fourth late on after being set up by Roony Bardghji, but Escandell stopped his shot.
Despite a poor start, Barcelona will be pleased with the response and outcome, which returns them to the top of La Liga as the title battle heats up.
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