Barcelona thrashed Younger Boys 5-0 within the Champions League on Tuesday night time to select up their first win within the competitors this season.
A brace from Robert Lewandowski and objectives from Raphinha and Inigo Martinez put Hansi Flick’s facet 4-0 up earlier than the 60-minute mark, and a late personal aim made it 5-0 to the Catalans.
Right here, The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan, Anantaajith Raghuraman and Laia Cervelló Herrero analyse and consider the important thing speaking factors from the match.
Barca’s sensible opener
The primary aim was properly labored as Barcelona zipped the ball round too quick for the Younger Boys defence to react, with spectacular motion and understanding between their entrance 4.
Marc Casado fed a go ahead between the Younger Boys’ traces to Ferran Torres, who had are available in off his left-wing beginning function to select up a central place. Torres knocked a sq. go first time to seek out right-sided attacker Lamine Yamal, who flicked it into the trail of Raphinha, raiding into the penalty space from his No 10 help striker function.
The go was completely weighted for the Brazilian to fireside in a primary time cross-shot throughout Younger Boys goalkeeper Marvin Keller. Centre-forward Lewandowski stayed onside and arrived completely on the again put up for a first-time faucet the ball into the gaping web.
Lewandowski finishes off the transfer to make it 1-0 (JOSEP LAGO/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
5 gamers, 5 touches of the ball, and 1-0 to Barcelona with simply eight minutes performed.
Dermot Corrigan
Raphinha revitalised underneath Flick
Raphinha began and completed the transfer for Barcelona’s second aim — the newest signal that he has begun the season on fireplace.
After the Brazilian got here quick to obtain a nook from Yamal, the ball was labored by way of Jules Kounde to Pedri — who turned inside his marker and fired off a shot that was blocked.
Arriving on the scene was Raphinha, who had been out large on the nook, however was now in the appropriate place six yards out to hammer residence the free ball for 2-0.
That made it six objectives and 4 assists in simply 10 video games this season. He appears to be like a totally completely different participant on this marketing campaign, having been so usually out and in of the crew final season underneath earlier coach Xavi, who by no means appeared to totally belief him.
Raphinha proved an excessive amount of for Younger Boys to deal with (JOSEP LAGO/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
New supervisor Flick has revitalised the 27-year-old and he’s now bursting with vitality and confidence. Raphinha additionally wore the armband towards Younger Boys, having been voted one of many membership’s captains by the dressing room in the course of the summer season (forward of team-mates Pedri and Lewandowski).
Simply over two years after arriving for €60million (£50m; $66.4m) from Leeds United, Raphinha lastly appears to be like like an actual Barca participant.
Dermot Corrigan
Lewandowski has very a lot nonetheless acquired it
Heading into the match on Tuesday, Lewandowski had scored seven objectives in 9 video games in all competitions this season.
The 36-year-old Pole prolonged his good kind by scoring twice towards Younger Boys to maneuver into double figures within the Champions League for Barcelona, changing into solely the second participant ever to attain 10 or extra objectives within the competitors for 3 completely different golf equipment after Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Actual Madrid and Juventus).
Each objectives had been additionally testomony to the poaching intuition that Lewandowski has perfected throughout his profession. He timed his run completely to show in Raphinha’s cross on the far put up within the first half earlier than getting himself forward of his marker to nod residence Martinez’s header throughout aim simply six minutes after the break. Granted, the second end wasn’t good as his header bobbled in off his foot, however it counts and that’s all issues.
Lewandowski’s first aim additionally meant he matched one other Ronaldo feat by changing into the second participant after the Portuguese to attain 50 Champions League objectives after turning 30 years outdated, although he is a long way behind the Portuguese’s complete of 68.
Anantaajith Raghuraman
Martinez rewarded for his persistence
Inigo Martinez scored his first aim for Barcelona (to make it 3-0) with a header after a superb cross from Pedri and he additionally assisted Lewandowski for the crew’s fourth aim.
He has been rewarded for his perseverance; Martinez has performed in each sport besides the one Barcelona misplaced towards Osasuna in Pamplona (4-2).
The centre-back was one of many gamers who at sure factors in the summertime regarded like he may not be registered as a result of monetary honest play guidelines. Nevertheless, he was and the membership like his angle, capability and presence within the dressing room.
Martinez on the ball (Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Pictures/Getty Pictures)
Regardless of being one of many few gamers who carried out nicely final season, Martinez performed a secondary function underneath former supervisor Xavi. He acquired injured at the start of January and, when he returned in February, Pau Cubarsi had taken his place. In the direction of the top of the season he registered extra minutes as a result of Ronald Araujo’s damage, however he was by no means a mainstay within the coronary heart of the defence.
This season, accidents have compelled Eric Garcia to play as a defensive pivot as an alternative of at centre-back and, in consequence, Martinez is now a starter and one among Flick’s key males. He very a lot confirmed it towards Younger Boys.
He went off late on, complaining a few again damage. Barcelona will desperately hope it’s nothing severe.
Laia Cervelló Herrero
What subsequent for Barcelona?
Sunday, October 6: Alaves (Away), La Liga, 3.15pm UK, 10.15am ET
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(Prime photograph: JOSEP LAGO/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)