La Liga: Party at the Montjuic Satdium as Barca sign out for the international break in grande style.

Barcelona thumped Rayo Valladolid 7-0 on Saturday afternoon to sign out for the international break at the Montjuic Stadium in Barcelona.

The Hansi Flick era at Barca continued with a dream start at the Montjuic Stadium on match day 4 of the 2024/25 La Liga season as the Catalan giants aimed to maintain their 100% winning record in the current campaign.

Prior to the main action on the pitch, Barca showed great affection and support to their teenage sensation, Marc Bernal who have had a fantastic impression during his first few games in the first team ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and damaged his meniscus in the latter stages of Tuesday’s victory over Rayo Vallecano, and as a result, he will be out for at least 10-12 months by wearing a special T-Shirt with inscription message “Estem amb tu Marc” which is Catalan for “we are with you, Marc”.

Barca started the game from the front foot as the team started to dominate play and created chances at the early stages of the match.

Their hard work and determination almost paid dividends as the crossbar came to Valladolid’s rescue after Olmo’s shot was heavily deflected off the post after beating the goalkeeper but failed to beat the crossbar.

At this stage, the opener for Barca looked inevitable and it duly arrived in the 10th minute of the game as Raphina found the back of the net to break the deadlock after making a fantastic diagonal run where he was well found by Pau Curbasi with an incredible long-range pass which he calmly slotted past the goalkeeper to give Barca the early lead.

Lewandoski doubled the lead for Barca ten minutes later to send his tally to 4 goals after a lofty pass from Lamine Yamal who is having an incredible season so far. Lewandoski’s goal makes him the first player to score 4 goals from 4 open La Liga games since 2018 when Lionel Messi scored the same number of goals.

Olmo had a chance to score his second goal of the season which will eventually come but then again the post proved to be the goalkeeper’s best friend and Olmo’s worst enemy as his effort on goal was denied by the framework.

Kounde however got Barca’s third of the night and his first goal of the season just before the halftime whistle after a rebound from the corner to keep the party alive at the Montjuic stadium.

Barca continued their dominance over Valladolid in the second half of the game as the Blau Grana continued their high press and kept possession of the ball.

It did not take Raphina long to get his second of the game and an eye for a hattrick as he reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box and without any problem fired the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-nil for Barca.

One would thought Barca would take off the foot of the gas after getting their fourth but rather Raphina had different plans a great through ball from the 17-year-old Lamine set up him perfectly inside the box and Raphina made no mistake and banged the ball into the middle of goal given the goalkeeper no chance to deny him the first hattrick of the season.

Barca who showed no mercy to toothless Valladolid defends grabbed their sixth goal of the night courtesy of a goal from their summer signing Dani Olmo who was given time and space after latching on a low pass from Raphina and as calm and composed finesse the ball into the back of the net to give Barca their sixth of the night.

Just three minutes later, Ferran Torres finished the damage work with a fine pass from Raphina
found Ferran whose effort on goal luckily found the back of the net after beating the keeper at the near post to put icing on the cake.

The win against Valladoloid means Barca remain the only club in the division to avoid a drop of points after match day 4 of the 2024/25 La Liga season. The Catalan giants are going to the international break sitting lonely at the top with 12 points.

Story by: Rabbi Adu Agyei

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