Teenage star Lamine Yamal struck twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona thrashed Girona 4-1 on Sunday. Hansi Flick’s facet have now gained all 5 of their opening matches and avenged two humiliating Catalan derby defeats by Girona final season with an emphatic victory at Montilivi. Yamal’s first-half double despatched Barcelona on their manner with Dani Olmo and Pedri Gonzalez including additional objectives after the break. Cristhian Stuani pulled one again for the hosts, final season’s shock package deal who completed third in solely their fourth season within the prime flight.
Girona misplaced a number of key gamers in the summertime with coach Michel Sanchez compelled to rebuild.
Barcelona have new momentum below former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Flick and produced their finest efficiency of his reign so far.
“I believe you possibly can see the arrogance we’ve, and when we’ve the ball, we’ve the standard to play and to create probabilities,” Flick instructed reporters.
“I believe immediately we had lots of probabilities to attain one or two objectives extra, however in the long run I am very pleased with the efficiency of the crew.”
Yamal and striker Robert Lewandowski got here shut within the opening exchanges earlier than the teenage star, who led Spain to Euro 2024 victory in the summertime, broke the impasse.
The winger picked the pocket of David Lopez as he tried to deliver the ball out of defence, earlier than ending with aplomb previous Paulo Gazzaniga after half-hour.
“We began very concentrated, very focussed, we pressed them — we all know once we give them the area they want for mixtures we get in bother,” mentioned Flick.
“You noticed the primary objective, it was unbelievably good (urgent) from Lamine.”
Yamal grabbed his second earlier than the break with a fantastic guided end from the sting of the field after a free-kick was cleared into his path.
Bryan Gil fired straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen from shut vary on the different finish, earlier than Girona had been awarded a penalty when Inigo Martinez dealt with the ball.
Nevertheless after a VAR referral the referee annulled his choice, seeing that it had bounced on to Martinez’s arm off team-mate Alejandro Balde.
Olmo expanded Barcelona’s lead early within the second half with a elegant end from a good angle, leaving the brand new arrival from RB Leipzig on three objectives from three La Liga matches.
Gazzaniga denied Lewandowski as he ran by on objective and tried to complete with a dink, as Barcelona maintained management.
Their fourth got here by Pedri when midfielder Marc Casado cleverly performed him by and the Canary Islander took his time to sidestep Gazzaniga and end.
“We needed to begin (the season) nicely, different years we did not begin it as we’d have favored, above all of the coach instructed us that,” Pedri instructed Movistar.
“(He instructed us) that from the primary recreation we should always push, that the league is gained above all in these first video games when you hold constructing the space up, let’s proceed in the identical manner.”
‘Flip the web page’
Former Espanyol striker Stuani completed from shut vary with 10 minutes remaining to present Girona a comfort, earlier than Barcelona substitute Ferran Torres was despatched off for a excessive sort out on Yaser Asprilla.
They had been the one blots on Barcelona’s in any other case pristine copybook as they maintained their one hundred pc report firstly of the marketing campaign.
On Saturday champions Actual Madrid earned a 2-0 win at Actual Sociedad to maneuver second, 4 factors behind Flick’s facet.
Girona are seventh after the defeat, with their subsequent match a Champions League debut away at Paris Saint-Germain.
“It feels unhealthy, it was a tricky defeat immediately, for the way we had been getting ready for the sport and the joy of going through Barca once more at dwelling,” Stuani instructed Movistar.
“We have now to attempt to overlook about it as shortly as potential, this week we’ve a really particular recreation, we’ve to face that with as a lot pleasure as potential as a result of for us it is an historic match.
“We have now to show the web page on immediately and attempt to compete in one of the simplest ways (we will).”
Later Sunday Atletico Madrid host Valencia and Athletic Bilbao go to Las Palmas.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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