Barcelona secured a vital 4-1 victory against Girona in the Catalan derby, restoring their lead in LaLiga over rivals Real Madrid. The triumph places Barcelona three points ahead with 66 points from 29 matches. Key to the success was veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, who netted twice in the second half.

Lewandowski's brace, which came after the match was tied at 1-1, solidified his position as top scorer in LaLiga with a total of 25 goals, outperforming Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe. "I work as hard as I did when I was 21, and I want to play for more seasons," said Lewandowski, reflecting on his remarkable form at 36.

The match began with Barcelona dominating possession, as both Fermin Lopez and Lewandowski tested Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga early on. An early VAR decision left the Barcelona players in disbelief when a potential penalty was overturned to a free kick for Girona instead. Despite having a goal disallowed for offside, Barcelona found the net two minutes before halftime, courtesy of a deflected free kick by Yamal.

After the break, Girona countered effectively, equalizing through Arnaut Danjuma before the tide turned decisively in Barcelona’s favor. Just after the hour mark, Lewandowski converted a critical cross from Lopez, marking his first goal of the match. He then extended Barcelona's lead in the 77th minute after receiving a slick pass from Frenkie de Jong.

Substitute Ferran Torres added the finishing touch with a well-placed shot, solidifying the rout at 4-1. Girona's Danjuma acknowledged Barcelona's strength, stating, "It’s very clear to see that when they had the ball this afternoon, it wasn’t easy for us." For more details, visit Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.