Barcelona celebrated their return to Camp Nou with an emphatic win over 10-man Athletic Bilbao this afternoon.
After a wait of 909 days to play at their revamped house, Barca wasted little time in settling in to their environment with first-half objectives from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres placing them in management.
Fermin Lopez added a 3rd shortly after the break and Athletic’s meek problem was ended utterly when Oihan Sancet was sent-off after 53 minutes for a poor deal with on Fermin.
The excellent Torres supplied the gloss with a late fourth as Barca moved stage on factors with leaders Actual Madrid, who play Elche tomorrow.
Barcelona onslaught begins early
Regardless of lacking the likes of Pedri and Gavi by way of harm, and the suspended Frenkie de Jong, Barca got here out firing and Lewandowski had a shot contained in the opening seconds.
The veteran Pole was inflicting all types of points for the Athletic backline and solely an excellent block by Aymeric Laporte prevented him changing Torres’ centre three minutes later.
He wasn’t to be denied a 3rd time. Athletic made a large number of clearing the ball and Lewandowski shifted the ball on to his left foot and fired into the nook, though Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon will likely be dissatisfied after getting hand to the shot.
The aim prodded Athletic into motion and Alex Berenguer must have finished higher than mis-control on the far publish.
Nico Williams – a long-time Barca goal – then threatened with a curling effort that drifted vast of the returning Joan Garcia’s upright.
Simon redeemed himself partially with a advantageous block to disclaim Fermin with Dani Olmo firing the rebound vast after 21 minutes.
Torres then noticed an effort dominated out for offside earlier than Unai Gomez threatened on the different finish, firstly with a shot that was properly saved by Garcia and secondly with an effort that flew over the bar.
A Williams aim would have brought on a lot consternation and it almost arrived after 42 minutes however the Spain winger flashed a shot inches vast as an alternative of heading in the right direction.
His worldwide team-mate Torres confirmed him the way it ought to be finished in first-half stoppage time. The previous Manchester Metropolis man latched on to a elegant go from Lamine Yamal and slotted beneath Simon.
Dismal Athletic crumble in second half
Former Barca boss Ernesto Valverde would have been a busy man on the break however no matter he stated had zero impact as Barca successfully ended the competition inside 4 minutes of the restart, Fermin firing house after being performed in by Eric Garcia.
Sancet’s frustration received the higher of him and he was rightly dismissed for a poor deal with.
Yamal and Torres nearly conjured up a fourth, the latter firing straight at Simon earlier than hitting the rebound towards the bar, though the offside flag had already gone up.
Substitute Raphinha nearly marked his return to full health with a aim just for his shot to graze the publish however Barca have been to not be denied one other, Torres including his second after one other elegant piece of ability from the irrepressible Yamal.
