Dani Olmo made a spectacular return to Barcelona during his debut, scoring the winning goal in a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory against Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga. The match took place on Tuesday, marking Olmo’s “dream debut” after he joined the club.
Olmo, who is 26 years old, had been unable to participate in Barcelona’s first two matches of the season due to registration issues stemming from the club’s financial constraints. However, his transfer from RB Leipzig, valued at €55 million, was finalized this week, allowing him to contribute on the field. He came off the bench at halftime, scoring the decisive goal in the 82nd minute to help Barcelona secure their third consecutive win to start the season. Earlier, Pedri had equalized after Unai López’s ninth-minute opener for Rayo.
“I am really happy, really happy with the game and with the win,” Olmo expressed to ESPN. “It was a dream debut for me.” He joined Barcelona after showcasing his talent for Spain during the recent European Championship.
Reflecting on his return, Olmo said, “It was a dream, of course, to come back. I had no doubt when Barcelona knocked on my door. So I’m really happy to be here.” He was confident the club would resolve the registration issues and had prepared himself physically for his debut.
Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, praised Olmo’s performance after he replaced Ferran Torres at halftime. Flick noted that Olmo brought better control and possession to the game, saying, “He was waiting a long time to score a goal for Barça.” He also highlighted Olmo’s ability to score from midfield, which is rare, but he excels in it.
With this win, Barcelona stands as the only team in LaLiga to secure three consecutive victories to start the season, a feat not achieved since the 2018-19 campaign. However, Flick remains focused on future challenges, particularly the upcoming match against Real Valladolid. “Now we have nine points and everything is good, but we will analyze [the game] and we have to play much better than in the first half,” he said.
The victory was overshadowed by a concerning injury to 17-year-old Marc Bernal, with early indications suggesting he may have suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which could sideline him for a significant portion of the season. “It’s a sad victory because Marc is injured and it looks not so good,” Flick commented. “It hurts.”