LA LIGA
Madrid, Sep 15: Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Fermín López scored two goals each as Barcelona routed Valencia 6-0 in the Spanish league.
The match was played at the team’s training facility because the Catalan club doesn’t yet have the proper permits to reopen the renovated Camp Nou stadium.
Barcelona got the victory despite playing without the injured Lamine Yamal.
It was the third win in four matches to open the season for Barcelona, which moved within two points of early league leader Real Madrid, which won 2-1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Barcelona had to play its first home league game of the season at the 6,000-capacity Estadi Johan Cruyff while it waits for the permits that will allow it to return to the Camp Nou, which will seat nearly 100,000 fans.The Johan Cruyff facility typically hosts the Barcelona women’s team and men’s reserve and youth squads.
Barcelona played the last two seasons at the city’s publicly owned Olympic Stadium while renovation work at the Camp Nou took place.
Barcelona in control
Barcelona was in control from the start against Valencia. López scored his goals in the 29th and 56th minutes, Raphinha netted in the 53rd and 66th and Lewandowski got on the board in the 76th and 86th.
Both Raphinha and Lewandowski scored their goals after coming off the bench. Unconfirmed Spanish media reports said Raphinha did not get to start because he was late reporting to the team on Sunday, though Barcelona coach Hansi Flick later said it was a technical decision not to start him following his stint with Brazil during the international break.
Lewandowski, playing his 150th game with Barcelona, had not previously scored for the club in this league season.
“We were in control from the start. We knew what we had to do to get the victory,” Barcelona midfielder Marc Casadó said. “We played our game. The scoring chances and the goals came.” Valencia, sitting near the bottom of the standings with two losses, had only two attempts with one of them on target.
Barcelona has outscored Valencia 18-1 in the last three matches between the clubs.
Other results
Real Betis rallied to draw 2-2 at Levante, which had built a two-goal lead in the first 10 minutes.
Osasuna won for the second time by beating Rayo Vallecano 2-0, while Celta Vigo earned a 1-1 draw with Girona at home thanks to a stoppage-time penalty kick converted by Borja Iglesias. (AP)
