All the goals arrived inside the first 35 minutes but subsequently a trio of players from each team were sent off.
Jordi Cruyff gave Espanyol an eighth minute lead but that was quickly stubbed out by Brazilian star Ronaldinho on ten minutes.
Patrick Kluivert netted Barca's second goal on 20 minutes and the Dutch international wrapped up the scoring on 35 minutes.
Former Barcelona schemer Ivan De la Pena was the first to be shown the red card as he received his marching orders four minutes before half time.
Within the first eight minutes of the second half, both Rafael Marquez and Ricardo Quaresma were sent to the Barca changing room after picking up their second yellow cards of the contest.
Antoni Soldevilla was then dismissed for the home side and was quickly followed down the tunnel by Philip Cocu before Espanyol's Alberto Lopo was the last to walk late in the game.
Atletico Madrid delivered a late riposte to snatch a 2-2 draw in their tussle at Celta Vigo.
Diego Simeone's far post header on 17 minutes had put the visitors in front but Peter Luccin's thunderously struck free kick levelled the encounter on 37 minutes.
Celta inched ahead four minutes before half time when Savo Milosevic converted from close range but Matias Lequi earned the visitors a point inside the closing ten minutes.
Real Sociedad remain in the bottom three in La Liga despite their European exploits after slipping to defeat at Villarreal.
Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme put the hosts ahead on 12 minutes, with Sonny Anderson netting the second goal on 33 minutes.
Click below for an individual match summary:
Celta Vigo 2-2 Atletico Madrid
Espanyol 1-3 Barcelona
Villarreal 2-0 Real Sociedad
