
BARCELONA, SPAIN – JANUARY 26: Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on January 26, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
FC Barcelona ended a four-game winless run in LaLiga after hammering Valencia 7-1 on Sunday evening.
LALIGA
Result: Barcelona 7-1 Valencia
Date: 26 January 2025
Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Following a narrow win over Benfica in a nine-goal thriller in the UEFA Champions League, Barca manager Hansi Flick recalled Ferran Torres to join Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, as Robert Lewandowski was reserved.
Blaugrana had a perfect start after Frenkie de Jong gave them the lead within the first three minutes with a strike into the bottom corner after a dinked pass by Yamal.
The hosts were 2-0 up five minutes later after Torres connected well with a cross by Alejandro Balde in the box.
Valencia were collapsing at the back inside 14 minutes after Raphinha made it 3-0 for the Catalan giants from a one-on-one chance with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili following a through ball by Lopez.
Barca were running riot already with just 25 minutes on the clock as Lopez made it 4-0 with a strike in the box from a cross by Pau Cubarsi.
Valencia thought they had a lifeline just after the half-hour mark after the referee initially awarded them a penalty for a foul in the box by shot-stopper Wojciech Szczesny, however, following a review using the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) the referee referee changed his decision.
Flick’s men continued to attack and Lopez made it 5-0 and completed his brace on the stroke of half-time from a rebound after Raphinha’s initial shot came off the post.
Los Ches continued to absorb the pressure from the interval but they finally had a consolation goal on the hour-mark after Hugo Duro had a good strike at the near post from a cross by Diego Lopez.
However, Valencia were punished for a high line again six minutes later after substitute Lewandowski made it 6-1 for Barca from a through ball by Lopez.
It got worse for the visitors with 15 minutes to go after Cesar Tarrega misdirected a clearance into his own net from a cross and gave Blaugrana a 7-1 lead.
The win took Barca up to third in the standings, seven points behind leaders and rivals Real Madrid.
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