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Barcelona delivered a stunning performance at Camp Nou, thrashing a disjointed Valencia side 7-1 in a goal-laden encounter.
Fermin Lopez shone brightly, scoring twice in the first half as the Catalans cruised to a commanding lead.
Frenkie de Jong opened the scoring after just three minutes, converting Lamine Yamal’s cross with ease. Moments later, Ferran Torres doubled the lead, finishing Alejandro Balde’s delivery from the left flank.
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Barcelona’s dominance continued as Raphinha made it 3-0, rounding Giorgi Mamardashvili to score his 12th league goal. Valencia’s defensive struggles were further exploited when Lopez added the fourth after VAR overturned an offside call.
The home side extended their lead to five before halftime, with Lopez volleying home after Raphinha’s effort struck the post. Valencia, already missing Cristhian Mosquera through suspension, looked disorganised and unable to contain Barça’s relentless attack.
In the second half, Hugo Duro gave Valencia a glimmer of hope, scoring from Diego Lopez’s cross. However, Barcelona responded immediately as Robert Lewandowski, introduced from the bench, clinically finished for his 17th league goal.
A seventh goal arrived late on when Cesar Tarrega deflected Torres’ powerful cross into his own net. The result marked only Barcelona’s second win in their last nine league outings, giving their fans something to cheer about.
Hansi Flick, who rotated his squad to reignite form, praised Lopez’s performance, calling it “unbelievable.” He also emphasised the importance of teamwork, saying, “(Fermin) attacked everything and defended very well.”
Meanwhile, Valencia’s plight deepened, as they remain 19th in the table and four points from safety. Captain Jose Gaya apologized to fans, saying, “We have to feel hurt after this… we can’t forget it.”
Tags: Barcelona, Valencia, #LaLiga, #nrtcnewsnigeria, #nrtcsports, #nrtcnigeria, #NewsRoundTheClock, #nrtcnews, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Hugo Duro, Cristhian Mosquera, Fermin Lopez, Frenkie de Jong, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Alejandro Balde, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Cesar Tarrega.
