Barcelona beat Real Valladolid in four-goal thriller

In perhaps their best showing of the young season, Barcelona beat Real Valladolid 4-0 at the Camp Nou.

A Robert Lewandowski brace highlighted the win with Pedri and Sergi Roberto also among the goalscorers.

Coming off a 4-1 win away to Real Sociedad, the Catalan side were looking to continue their success, only this time at home. In their opener against Rayo Vallecano, Barcelona were held scoreless.

After some initial resistance from the visitors, Lewandowski opened the scoring in a rather acrobatic way. Raphinha delivered a cross from the right and it initially looked like it was going to go out for a goal kick. But the Polish striker dashed in and stretched his leg out, making enough contact to get the ball past keeper Jordi Masip.

Pedri gave Barcelona some breathing room minutes before the end of the first half. Ousmane Dembele dribbled the ball on the right, cut across a couple of defenders and passed the ball inside the box to a darting Pedri. The 19-year-old didn’t think twice and calmly placed the ball into the back of the net.

The best goal out of the four would have to go to Lewandowski, though with a bit of luck. Lewandwoski received the ball with a Valladolid defender closely marking him. He’s able to get inside the penalty area where he flicks the ball as it slowly rolls past Masip. The replay showed it took the slightest deflection off the defender but he and Barcelona will take it.

The fourth and final goal came courtesy of Sergi Roberto. The right-back was in the right spot as Lewandowski’s attempt at a hat-trick was foiled by the post. The ball landed to Roberto who wasn’t going to miss, putting a bow on the proceedings.

The win means Barcelona have picked up seven points from a possible nine. The game also saw the debut of Jules Kounde who was finally registered with LaLiga. He played as the starting right-back but moved to center-back when Roberto was subbed on in place of Ronald Araujo.

The former Sevilla man helped Barcelona keep the clean sheet as he essentially cleared a ball off the line in the second-half in one of Valladolid’s few attempts at goal.

Barcelona will face another test in their next match as they travel to Seville to take on a Sevilla side who have yet to win this season. But they always play Barcelona tough at home and are in desperate need of a result.