Barcelona snapped their four-game winless streak in La Liga with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday. The star of the match, Fermin Lopez, not only scored twice but also provided two crucial assists, showcasing his remarkable form.
With this win, Barcelona now sits third in the standings with 42 points, trailing second-placed Atletico Madrid by three points and seven points behind leaders Real Madrid. On the other hand, relegation-threatened Valencia plummeted to 19th with 16 points following their first defeat in five games across all competitions.
The match kicked off with Frenkie de Jong giving Barcelona the lead just three minutes in, thanks to a precise right-footed shot from the center of the box, assisted by Lamine Yamal. The Dutch midfielder continued to dominate the game, setting up Ferran Torres for the second goal.
Raphinha extended the lead before the 15-minute mark by capitalizing on a defensive error from Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili, sliding the ball into the empty net with ease.
Lopez added two more goals in the first half, including a powerful long-range strike from the right, solidifying Barcelona's commanding performance. Reflecting on the win, Lopez shared, \"We were coming from a bad dynamic in La Liga and we needed this win. I needed a game like this. I've had a lot of injuries and it was important to gain confidence.\"
Valencia managed to pull one back through Hugo Duro with a close-range effort after the break. However, Barcelona maintained their dominance, with Robert Lewandowski adding a sixth goal. The final goal came from an own goal by Valencia's Cesar Tarrega, sealing the impressive victory for Hansi Flick's side.
Barcelona's triumph follows an exciting 5-4 win at Benfica, which secured their spot in the UEFA Champions League's last 16. Looking ahead, Barcelona will face Atalanta in their final league-phase match of Europe's top-tier club competition on Wednesday.
Reference(s):
Barcelona end La Liga winless run with 7-1 thrashing of Valencia
cgtn.com
