Barcelona secured a 4-1 victory over Girona in the Catalan derby thanks to the first two goals of teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.
The visitors continued their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 League campaign, making light work of their trip to Girona.
Its result allows it Barça to remain at the top of the table, four points ahead of last year’s champions, Real Madrid.
How the game developed
It was a vicious start at the Montilivi Stadium with both sides keen to press and go forward early. Barcelona began to dominate possession from the off, playing on the front foot while handling Girona’s attack with ease.
Lamine Yamal came close to scoring the first goal of the game, latching on to a loose ball that fell from Dani Olmo’s cross. The 17-year-old shot into the box but couldn’t beat goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Girona responded with rhythm, launching a cross that was deflected into the goal. The ball, which seemed inches away, was too far for Abel Ruiz, leaving the game scoreless once again.
Just before the 30th minute, Yamal got his name on the scoresheet, giving Barça the lead when he curled a superb finish into the top corner of the net. The youngster showed once again how vital he is, scoring a goal all by himself after winning the ball away from David Lopez.
Seven minutes later, he added another goal to his squad after Robert Lewandowski dropped the ball to the feet of Yamal, who fired home to double Barca’s lead.
Girona faced another blow before the break after missing a penalty due to a handball from Íñigo Martínez. Referee Ruiz was asked to review the decision and opted not to give the hosts a chance in front of goal.
A few minutes after the break, Barca found another goal when Jules Kounde threw a ball to Dani Olmo, who put it into the roof of the net. Girona could do nothing, as Barça returned to the game with clear intentions.
The visitors wasted no time in making it 4-0, with Peter this time the one attributed to the target. The Spanish star put the ball into the net after a nice assist from Marc Casado, who shot it straight past Pedri.
With 10 minutes to go, the home side had a glimmer of hope as Girona won one to deny Marc-Andre ter Stegen a goal. Cristhian Stuani made light work of tapping the ball into the back of the net while the goalkeeper was elsewhere.
Barca were then forced to defend their lead with just 10 men as Ferran Torres was shown a red card for a hard challenge on Yaser Asprilla, who struck Girona’s foot in the follow-up. The visitors had no trouble holding on for 4-1 and reigned victorious when the full-time whistle blew.
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen – 5/10 – He didn’t have too much work to do as his teammates ran the game at the other end of the pitch. He made a sloppy mistake to allow Girona to pull one back, but luckily Barça’s lead was already settled.
RB: Jules Kounde – 8/10 – Kounde unleashed a tactical masterclass against Girona, opting to push forward rather than drop back alongside his defensive counterparts. He kept the play wide and provided space for his teammates to run. Great performance
CB: Pau Cubarsi – 7/10 – A pleasure to see as always. Cubarsi provided sensational passes up front, while remaining a key figure in defence. At just 17 years old, he is truly changing the game.
CB: Inigo Martinez – 6/10 – Martínez was involved in a controversial handball decision that denied Girona a penalty. He symbolized the weakest part of the defensive lineup, but still showed glimpses of promise.
LB: Alejandro Balde – 7/10 – Balde was unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet after putting in an impressive performance. He worked hard in 1v1, constantly beating his man and facilitating strong passes.
DM: Marc Casado – 7/10 – A truly fantastic game from Casado, who provided a perfectly timed assist on Pedri’s route to set up Barça’s third goal of the game. One of the most impressive players in the game.
DM: Peter – 7/10 – The 21-year-old earned the opportunity to score Barça’s four goals on their way to victory. He looked technical and intelligent throughout the game, moving into the right positions to optimize the game.
RW: Lamine Yamal – 8/10 – There are not enough words to sum up how amazing Yamal is. The Kopa Trophy nominee scored Barça’s first and second goals of the game and could easily have added another. The youngster runs down the field with pace and precision, another job well done by Yamal.
AM: Dani Olmo – 8/10 – Olmo scored a very nice goal just after the break, putting Barça on the right foot as they charged back into the game. Three goals in three games – he’s proven to be a pretty exceptional signing.
LW: Raphinha – 6/10 – A good performance by Raphinha, although he was unable to add to the other four scorers. The winger sometimes strayed a little to his left side, which made things difficult in attack.
ST: Robert Lewandowski – 7/10 – It is clear that Lewandowski still has it and contributes a lot to Barça’s youth squad. His assist on Yamal’s second goal showed his level of awareness in the area. He didn’t score a goal today, but his performance was impeccable.
Substitutes
SUB: Eric Garcia (61′ for Olmo) – 6/10
SUB: Hector Fort (61′ Cubarsi) – 6/10
SUB: Ferran Torres (69′ for Lewandowski) – 4/10
SUB: Pau Victor (69′ for Pedri) – 6/10
SUB: Gerard Martin (92′ for Yamal) – N/A
manager
Hansi Flick – 8/10 – He made no changes from the team that dominated Real Valladolid before the international break; if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
