Sunday in La Liga, Robert Lewandowski scored twice for the second consecutive game for Barcelona while Jules Kounde made his debut in a 4-0 victory over Real Valladolid in Madrid.
At the Camp Nou, young midfielder Pedri added a second goal on the stroke of halftime after the Poland star had given Barca the lead with a trademark poacher’s finish on 24 minutes.
Lewandowski scored his fourth goal in three games since his much publicized summer transfer from Bayern Munich. Sergi Roberto scored the game’s last goal.
“It’s a blessing to have Lewandowski on your team,” stated Barca coach Xavi Hernandez.
“He is an exceptional player. Spectacular. A natural leader. It is a wonderful blessing to have him with us.
“He is a model and a natural worker. He makes the difference by being modest, working for the team, and assisting the coaching staff.
🗣 Xavi:
I’m ecstatic, especially for the players that performed so brilliantly! pic.twitter.com/o38mMpDtxJ
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 28, 2022
Barca is now in second place with seven points after three matches, two points behind Real Betis. Real Madrid will seek to maintain their unblemished record against Espanyol on Sunday evening.
Xavi gave Kounde his first start after the club was finally able to register the France defender they acquired from Sevilla last month reportedly for 50 million euros.
After a scoreless tie on the opening weekend, Barca defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 in their last match, and Lewandowski came close with an early header for the Catalans.
Lewandowski met Raphinha’s inswinging cross with a glancing shot that struck the post and rebounded off Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip before trickling along the goal line to safety.
Pedri then identified Raphinha’s run behind the defense, but the Brazilian was thwarted by Masip, who was afterwards thoroughly beaten when Ousmane Dembele’s ferocious effort hit the crossbar.
Barca’s pressure ultimately paid off when Raphinha sent in another tantalizing cross, causing uncertainty in the Valladolid defense, which Lewandowski punished with a daring finish.
Dembele tried Masip from distance before setting up Pedri’s second with a brilliantly weighted pass that the midfielder buried with a first-time side-foot finish.
Lewandowski nearly put the game out of reach in the 64th minute by racing onto a Dembele pass and backheeling past Masip with the aid of a Joaquin Fernandez deflection.
Valladolid nearly equalized, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a great stop on Oscar Plano and Kounde blocked Roque Mesa’s follow-up attempt with a leg on the line.
Ansu Fati forced a great save from Masip after coming off the bench, but Barca scored a fourth goal in stoppage time via Roberto’s volley after Masip prevented Lewandowski a hat trick by tipping his drive into the crossbar.
Villarreal surrendered their first points of the season in a scoreless draw against Getafe, as Unai Emery’s team had a late penalty overruled by VAR.
AFP