Barcelona extended their flawless start to the La Liga season with a convincing 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Thursday at the partially rebuilt Camp Nou. The Spanish champions secured the win thanks to goals from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez, while also introducing new signing Rodri in his debut appearance for the club.
In a match that showcased Barcelona’s attacking intent, Raphinha opened the scoring in the 37th minute by deftly rounding the goalkeeper before sliding the ball into the net. The lead was doubled late in the second half, when Lopez found the back of the net in the 82nd minute, sealing the three points. Despite the solid scoreline, the Catalan side missed several additional opportunities, including two shots that struck the woodwork.
Rodri, making his first competitive appearance for Barcelona, expressed satisfaction following the match. “Very happy to play my first game, happy with the victory, we’ve got two from two,” he told DAZN. “It’s important to keep building up rhythm and adapting to this great team. My first minutes and (I had some) good feelings.”
Team Changes and Tactical Setup
Manager Hansi Flick made three personnel adjustments from the side that dominated Elche 5-0 in the previous round. Notably, Anthony Gordon earned his first start for the club, while Pedri Gonzalez was brought into midfield and Pau Cubarsi featured in defense. Raphinha continued to operate in an advanced role as a makeshift number nine, a tactical necessity following the departures of key forwards Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Barcelona’s pursuit of forwards has been challenging, with the club’s attempts to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid proving unsuccessful as the latter club refused to enter negotiations for the Argentine striker. Nevertheless, Raphinha has adapted well to his striker role, having scored twice in the previous fixture against Elche.