- Barcelona cruised to victory over Girona in the Catalan derby
- Lamine Yamal scored twice to open proceedings
- Visitors were forced to battle on with 10 men after Ferran Torres red card
Barcelona cruised to a 4-1 victory over Girona in the Catalan derby thanks to two opening goals from teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.
The visitors continued their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 La Liga campaign, making light work of their journey to Girona.
Their result allows Barca to remain at the top of the table, four points ahead of last year's champions, Real Madrid.
How the game unfolded
It was a scrappy start at the Estadi Montilivi with both sides eager to press and take an early lead. Barcelona began to dominate possession from the offset, playing on the front foot while handling Girona's attack with ease.
Lamine Yamal came close to earning the first goal of the game, reaching a loose ball that fell from a Dani Olmo cross. The 17-year-old powered a shot towards the box, but was not able to outsmart goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
Girona responded with pace, firing a cross that skimmed across the face of the goal. The ball, seemingly just inches away, was too far for Abel Ruiz to reach - leaving the game scoreless once again.
Just ahead of the 30 minute mark, Yamal etched his name onto the scoresheet, gifting Barca an advantage as he powered a beautiful finish into the top corner of the net. The youngster proved once again just how vital he is, crafting a goal entirely on his own after winning the ball away from David Lopez.
Seven minutes later, he added another goal to his roster after Robert Lewandowski dropped a ball towards the feet of Yamal - who curled a shot in to double Barca's lead.
Girona faced yet another blow before halftime after failing to secure a penalty due to a handball from Inigo Martinez. Referee Ruiz was asked to review the decision and chose against awarding the hosts a chance in front of goal.
Just minutes after the break, Barca found yet another goal as Jules Kounde lofted a ball over to Dani Olmo - who slotted it into the roof of the net. There was nothing Girona could do as Barca ran back into the game with clear intentions.
The visitors wasted no time in making it 4-0, with Pedri this time the one attributed to the goal. The Spanish star passed the ball into the net after a beautiful assist from Marc Casado, who fired it directly into the path of Pedri.
A glimmer of hope came for the hosts with 10 minutes remaining as Girona earned one back to deny Marc-Andre ter Stegen a clean sheet. Cristhian Stuani made light work of tapping the ball into the back of the net while the goalkeeper was elsewhere.
Barca were then forced to defend their lead with just 10 men as Ferran Torres was shown a red card for a tough challenge on Yaser Asprilla, stamping on the Girona man's foot in the follow through. The visitors had no trouble in keeping ahold of their 4-1 lead and reigned victorious when the full-time whistle blew.
Barcelona player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 5/10 - Didn't have too much work to do as his teammates directed play up the other end of the pitch. Made a careless mistake to allow Girona to earn one back but luckily Barca's lead was already settled.
RB: Jules Kounde - 8/10 - Kounde unleashed a tactical masterclass against Girona, opting to push ahead rather than drop back alongside his defensive counterparts. He kept play wide and offered space for his teammates to run. Great performance.
CB: Pau Cubarsi - 7/10 - A joy to watch as always. Cubarsi offered sensational passing going forward whilst remaining a key figure in defence. At just 17-years-old he is truly gamechanging.
CB: Inigo Martinez - 6/10 - Martinez was involved in a controversial handball decision that denied Girona a penalty. He symbolised the weaker of the defensive lineup, but still showed glimmers of promise.
LB: Alejandro Balde - 7/10 - Balde was unlucky not to register his name on the scoresheet after putting in an impressive performance. He worked hard in 1v1's, constantly beating his man and facilitating strong passes.
DM: Marc Casado - 7/10 - A truly fantastic game from Casado who delivered a perfectly timed assist into the pathway of Pedri to initiate Barca's third goal of the game. One of the most impressive players in the game.
DM: Pedri - 7/10 - The 21-year-old earned the chance to score Barca's four goal as they cruised to victory. He appeared technical and intelligent throughout the game, moving into the right positions to optimise play.
RW: Lamine Yamal - 8/10 - There aren't enough words to sum up how incredible Yamal is. The Kopa Trophy nominee earned Barca's first and second goals of the game and easily could've added another. The youngster races across the pitch with pace and precision - another job well done from Yamal.
AM: Dani Olmo - 8/10 - Olmo provided a beautiful goal just after the break, setting Barca on the right foot as they charged back into the game. Three goals in three games - he's proved to be a pretty exceptional signing.
LW: Raphinha - 6/10 - A strong performance from Raphinha, even if he was unable to join the four other goal scorers. The winger sometimes drifted a little far away from his left side, which complicated matters in attack.
ST: Robert Lewandowski - 7/10 - Lewandowski has clearly still got it and provides so much to the youthful Barca squad. His assist for Yamal's second goal demonstrated his level of awareness around the box. He didn't earn a goal today, but his performance was immaculate.
Substitutes
SUB: Eric Garcia (61' for Olmo) - 6/10
SUB: Hector Fort (61' Cubarsi) - 6/10
SUB: Ferran Torres (69' for Lewandowski) - 4/10
SUB: Pau Victor (69' for Pedri) - 6/10
SUB: Gerard Martin (92' for Yamal) - N/A
Manager
Hansi Flick - 8/10 - Didn't make any changes from the team that dominated Real Valladolid before the international break - if it isn't broke, don't fix it.
