Barcelona made a significant resurgence in La Liga, demonstrating their offensive prowess with a dominant 7-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday. The team showcased their attacking depth as four different players scored within the first 24 minutes at Montjuic Stadium.
Frenkie de Jong initiated the scoring just three minutes into the match, followed by goals from Ferran Torres, Raphinha, and Fermín López, who netted twice, the latter during first-half stoppage time. This flurry of goals culminated in a commanding 5-0 lead at halftime. Valencia’s Hugo Duro managed to score in the 59th minute, but Robert Lewandowski and a subsequent own goal by Valencia’s César Tárrega capped off the scoring for Barcelona.
The victory was crucial for Barcelona, who had experienced a winless stretch in their last four league matches. This triumph moved them closer to the top of the standings, now just three points behind Atletico Madrid and seven points off leader Real Madrid, who secured a 3-0 win against Valladolid.
Post-match, López emphasized the importance of this win for the team’s morale and their determination to keep fighting in the league.
Hansi Flick, the head coach, reached a milestone as the second-fastest Barcelona coach to achieve 100 goals, hitting the mark in 32 matches. This achievement places him behind Helenio Herrera, who did it in 31 matches during the 1950s. Recent performances have shown Barcelona’s offensive capabilities, scoring five or more goals in four of their last five games.
In contrast, Valencia remains in a precarious position at 19th in the standings. Despite the defeat, Valencia coach Carlos Corberán highlighted the positive aspect of Mouctar Diakhaby’s return from a serious injury, underscoring the defender’s importance to the team.
Other La Liga results included a loss for Real Sociedad against Getafe, while Rayo Vallecano managed to secure a comeback victory against Girona, and Athletic Bilbao was held to a scoreless draw against Leganes.
The match reflected Barcelona’s potential to compete fiercely in both La Liga and European competitions, hinting at a hopeful turnaround in their league campaign.