MADRID — Lamine Yamal’s impressive performance, including two goals in under ten minutes, propelled Barcelona to a 4-1 victory over Girona, marking their fifth consecutive win in the Spanish league season.
Yamal’s goals, complemented by second-half strikes from Dani Olmo and Pedri, solidified Barcelona’s four-point lead at the top of the standings. Atlético Madrid kept pace by defeating Valencia, who are at the bottom of the table, with a 3-0 scoreline, featuring goals from Antoine Griezmann and new signings Julián Álvarez and Conor Gallagher. Real Madrid also secured a win on Saturday, beating Real Sociedad 2-0, thanks to efforts from Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior.
With their victory, Villarreal maintains a position four points behind Barcelona after edging out Mallorca 2-1 on Saturday. Yamal noted the significance of scoring to assist the team and highlighted the challenge of resuming play following the international break, turning attention to their upcoming Champions League match against Monaco.
Yamal’s goals during the match were his second and third of the season. The 17-year-old Spanish international first netted in the 30th minute after a steal from a defender, followed by a second goal in the 37th when he capitalized on a loose ball in the penalty area. Olmo scored in the 47th minute from a narrow angle, while Pedri added the final goal from close range in the 64th minute.
Olmo, who had to leave the match due to a leg injury, became the first Barcelona player to score in his first three league appearances since Cesc Fabregas in 2011. His achievement was matched by only Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2009 during this century. Cristhian Stuani accounted for Girona’s sole goal in the 80th minute.
Barcelona was initially awarded a penalty for a handball just before halftime but the decision was overturned following a video review. The team played with ten men from the 87th minute onward as Ferran Torres was sent off for a foul. Polish striker Robert Lewandowski marked his 100th match with Barcelona.
In Atlético Madrid’s encounter, newly signed forward Álvarez and midfielder Gallagher both scored their first goals for the club in their 3-0 triumph over Valencia. Gallagher opened the scoring in the 39th minute followed by Griezmann in the 54th, and Álvarez capped the victory in stoppage time.
This win marks Atlético’s second consecutive victory and third overall in five league matches, with the team drawing the other two. Valencia continues to struggle, having started the season with four losses and a draw.
In other fixtures, ten-man Athletic Bilbao managed a 3-2 win against Las Palmas, who are still seeking their first league victory in 19 matches dating back to last season. Celta Vigo also earned its first win of the season, defeating Valladolid 3-1, while the latter has now gone through four consecutive games without a win following their initial victory against Espanyol.