Lamine Yamal delivered a stunning performance by scoring twice as Barcelona overwhelmed Valencia 5-0, extending their flawless start to the La Liga season.
With this commanding victory, the defending champions stretched their lead at the top of the table to three points, capitalizing on Real Madrid‘s 1-0 defeat to Real Betis on Friday, a setback for Jose Mourinho‘s side.
Alongside Yamal’s brace, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, and Pedri also found the back of the net, contributing to a dominant display orchestrated by coach Hansi Flick under the scorching sun on Spain’s eastern coast.
Despite missing the Saturday training session due to a knock, Yamal showed no signs of injury, dazzling throughout the match against Carlos Corberan’s Los Che.
Barcelona’s Commanding Control
From the outset, Barcelona asserted their superiority, much to the dismay of the passionate but increasingly frustrated Valencia supporters at the Mestalla stadium, known for its intense atmosphere.
The 19-year-old Yamal opened the scoring early in the sixth minute with a deft lobbed finish, expertly set up by a precise lofted pass from Lopez. Although Yamal appeared to double the lead moments later with a powerful finish at the near post, the goal was ruled out after a tight offside call following a VAR review.
Lopez then made his mark by converting a crisp chance in the 22nd minute, assisted by former Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon.
Barcelona faced a setback when defender Eric Garcia was forced off midway through the first half due to a collision with teammate Rodri’s shoulder. Notably, this match marked the midfielder Rodri’s first start since joining from Manchester City over the summer.