Barcelona pass first LaLiga test with flying colors

Barcelona's perfect start to the season continue with yet another dominant performance, this time away to Girona in a Catalan Derby.

Hansi Flick's side started the game dominating possession, with Girona losing the ball almost as quickly as they got it. Barcelona pressured Girona, leading to easy recoveries though unable to create clear goal scoring opportunities.

Lamine Yamal had the first go following some slick moves from Pedri. Yamal took a shot inside the box but it went straight to the hands of the Girona keeper. One could make the case Pedri was better positioned for a shot but Yamal thought otherwise.

Despite the possession, when Girona did have the ball, they got close to threatening the goal defended by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The breakthrough for Barcelona came in the 30th minute.

Girona defender David Lopez, in trying to play out from the back, lost the ball to Yamal. With only the keeper to beat, the youngster didn't miss and put Barcelona ahead.

Yamal's brace came seven minutes later, rifling in a shot following a rebound off a free-kick.

"Coming back after the break is always difficult, but today we were very good. We're already thinking about the next match," Yamal said.

The controversy in this match came a few minutes before the end of the half.

The referee whistled a handball on Iñigo Martínez. As the Girona was about to step up and take the penalty, the referee went and took a look at the VAR monitor. While there was a handball, it came after header from Alejandro Balde, leading the referee to overturn his decision.

Barcelona were let off the hook and took advantage of it two minutes into the second half.

Jules Kounde played a ball over the top to Dani Olmo and then, with a tight angle, struck the ball past the Girona keeper who was covering his near post.

The cherry on top came in the 64th minute with Pedri finishing off a play that encapsulated what Barcelona has been these first five games under Hansi Flick with Marc Casado putting in a through ball for Pedri who rounded the keeper before calmly striking it in to the back of the net.

The blemishes came late as Girona managed to pull one back in the 80th minute. Then, in the 86th minute, Ferran Torres was sent off leaving Barcelona with 10 men.

Up a player, Girona were unable to get any closer with Barcelona seeing the game out well.

Five wins out of five, Barcelona now have 15 points, keeping them four points ahead of Real Madrid in LaLiga.

On paper, this was Barcelona's toughest test so far given they were on the road. Not to mention Girona did the double over the Blaugrana last season, winning both encounters quite comfortably.

Barcelona's next opponent in the league is Villarreal who sit in third place, four points behind the Catalans. The next month is going to be a busy one for Barcelona who before playing Villarreal will play their first Champions League match of the season in France against AS Monaco on Thursday,