Barcelona defeated Athletic Club 2-0 this Wednesday at Camp Nou in a postponed match from the first round of La Liga. Goals from Raphinha in the 37th minute and Fermín, following a mistake by Laporte, sealed a victory that places Hansi Flick's team second in the table with six points, just one behind leaders Alavés, according to updated data on our standings.
The Blaugrana displayed more recognizable football under their manager and leveraged their squad depth. Athletic, who have lost both of their opening matches, failed to break down a Barcelona defence that has yet to concede a goal this season, with a record of seven scored and zero against.
How did the match unfold?
Raphinha opened the scoring after a good team move. The Brazilian, who had already scored a brace against Elche, demonstrated his accuracy once more. The second goal came in the second half. Fermín López, who now has three goals this campaign, stole the ball from Aymeric Laporte and finished well past Unai Simón. The Athletic goalkeeper had to make several saves to prevent a heavier defeat, as Lamine Yamal hit the crossbar and Athletic also came close with an Oihan Sancet shot that struck the post.
The referee showed yellow cards to Guruzeta for a foul on Pau Cubarsí and to Johaneko for grabbing Lamine. In the final stages, debutant Rodri took to the pitch in place of Raphinha. Dani Olmo also came on for Marc Bernal, while Jules Koundé and Karim Adeyemi replaced Eric García and Anthony Gordon, whose play lacked precision along with that of Fermín and Lamine. For Athletic, the Williams brothers were substituted by Álex Berenguer and Iker Navarro in a match where their performance was very discreet.
What did Rodri say after his debut?
The midfielder, signed this summer, experienced his first official minutes in a Barcelona shirt. "Very happy to enjoy the first match. It's important to start getting into the rhythm and adapt to this great team," Rodri told the media. The player added that "it has been a longer summer than normal, but I am where I wanted to be." His arrival strengthens a midfield that still misses important absentees like Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Roony Bardghji, whose situations you can follow on our injuries page.
What context surrounded the match?
The game was played in an atmosphere marked by controversy. The suspension of a tribute to the world champions due to police action in Elche against a Barcelona fan caused discontent. In the Camp Nou stands, the Assemblea Nacional Catalana distributed 10,000 estelada flags and chants against the Spanish national team were heard. The announced act of exalting the pro-independence flag by president Joan Laporta was not very visible around the stadium.
What's next for Barcelona?
With this victory, Barcelona maintains its positive run and prepares for its next La Liga fixture. The team will host Rayo Vallecano this Sunday, August 31st, at Camp Nou, a match you can see on our fixtures. The visiting side currently sits in thirteenth place. Barcelona's objective will be to continue taking three points to maintain pressure on Alavés at the top of the table. The information from this match was reported live by Ramón Besa for El País Deportes.
