Barcelona thrash Valencia 5-0 to move clear at the top in Spain

Barcelona delivered a commanding 5-0 victory at Valencia on Sunday to maintain their perfect record after four LaLiga matches. The result leaves the defending champions alone at the top of the table, three points ahead of Real Madrid and Real Betis.

Lamine Yamal led the way with goals in the sixth and 84th minutes. The 17-year-old had raised doubts after training separately on Saturday because of a knock, but he started and quickly became one of Barcelona’s most dangerous players. He opened the scoring by lifting a chipped ball over goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, then added a second after receiving another pass through the defense. An additional goal was ruled out for a marginal offside.

Fermín López doubled Barcelona’s lead in the 22nd minute after cutting onto a loose ball in the area and placing his shot close to the post. He also struck the post before halftime. Valencia created little apart from a counterattack that sent Danjuma one-on-one with Joan García, who kept out the effort.

Raphinha made it 3-0 in the 50th minute by tapping in Fermín’s cross. Used as the central attacking reference by coach Hansi Flick, the Brazilian has scored six goals in four league games and leads the scoring chart ahead of Rayo Vallecano’s Sergio Camello, who has five. Pedri added the fourth in the 78th minute, shortly before making way for Gabriel Jesus.

Gabriel Jesus made his Barcelona debut after the club’s unsuccessful attempt to sign Julián Álvarez, although he did not score. Flick praised his team afterward, telling Movistar+ that it had been “a fantastic match” and that Barcelona had controlled the game from the start. The victory came at a tense Mestalla, where Valencia supporters protested against club owner Peter Lim. Valencia remain deep in the relegation zone before Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord on Wednesday.

“

It has been a fantastic match. We controlled it from the start, and that is what I want to see.