Teenage star Lamine Yamal struck twice as La Liga leaders Barcelona thrashed Girona 4-1 on Sunday. Elsewhere Atletico Madrid eased to a 3-0 victory over Valencia to drag degree with second-place Real Madrid. Hansi Flick’s Barca 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 method with Dani Olmo and Pedri Gonzalez including additional objectives after the break.
Cristhian Stuani pulled one again for the hosts, final season’s shock bundle 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 pressured to rebuild.
Barcelona have new momentum below former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Flick and produced their finest efficiency of his reign up to now.
“I feel you possibly can see the arrogance we’ve, and when we’ve the ball, we’ve the standard to play and to create possibilities,” Flick advised reporters.
“I feel as we speak we had a number of possibilities to attain one or two objectives extra, however in the long run I’m very pleased with the efficiency of the crew.”
Yamal, 17, 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 carry 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 house they want for combos we get in hassle,” mentioned Flick.
“You noticed the primary purpose, it was unbelievably good (urgent) from Lamine.”
Yamal grabbed his second earlier than the break with a superb guided end from the sting of the field after a free-kick was cleared into his path.
Olmo expanded Barcelona’s lead early within the second half with a chic end from a good angle, leaving the brand new arrival from RB Leipzig on three objectives from three La Liga matches.
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.
‘Turn the web page’
Former Espanyol striker Stuani completed from shut vary with 10 minutes remaining to provide 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 document firstly of the marketing campaign.
On Saturday champions Real Madrid earned a 2-0 win at Real 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.
“We need to attempt to overlook about (the loss) as shortly as potential, this week we’ve a really particular sport, we’ve to face that with as a lot pleasure as potential as a result of for us it is an historic match,” Stuani advised Movistar.
Later on Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez netted their first Atletico Madrid objectives as Diego Simeone’s facet earned a cushty victory over Valencia on Sunday.
Antoine Griezmann tucked house the second for the dominant Rojiblancos at their Metropolitano stadium.
Atletico are unbeaten of their first 5 fixtures and degree on 11 factors with Madrid, and Villarreal in fourth.
England worldwide Gallagher, who arrived from Chelsea this summer season, tucked house within the thirty ninth minute after Rodrigo de Paul performed him in with a intelligent move that nutmegged a defender.
“Conor had an important sport, he provides a number of depth to the match,” mentioned Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Atletico stayed on prime within the second half and Griezmann pounced from shut vary after 54 minutes, staying alert to react quickest to a free ball.
Simeone introduced summer season arrival Julian Alvarez off the bench within the second half and the previous Manchester City striker tapped house late on to get his first purpose in 5 appearances for his new membership.
“I’m very completely happy for the win… and for the purpose, for the arrogance (it brings) and to assist the crew,” Alvarez advised Movistar.
“I have never been feeling the stress… I’m all the time able to play when known as on, to assist the crew.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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