BARCELONA — Lamine Yamal struck twice for Barcelona as they demolished Valencia 5-0 yesterday to maintain their 100 per cent start in La Liga.
The reigning champions moved two points clear at the top of La Liga, after Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday.
Unbeaten Alaves rose to second place with a thumping 5-2 victory over Osasuna.
As well as Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Pedri were also on target for Hansi Flick’s swaggering Barca on a hot afternoon on Spain’s east coast.
Yamal did not take part in the team training session on Saturday after a knock but showed no signs of it during a dazzling display against Carlos Corberan’s side.
Barcelona, the only team in the top flight to win their first four games, took control from the start to the upset of Valencia’s fans at a persistently bad-tempered Mestalla stadium. Los Che are bottom and yet to win this season.
“We played a fantastic game, it was nearly perfect, we controlled, we were dominant and this is what I want from the team,” said Flick.
“We stay calm and then if it’s possible to score, we try to do it — it was a fantastic game for us.
“Nothing is perfect, you always can improve. If it’s perfect then you can stop working.”
Yamal opened the scoring with a clever lofted finish in the sixth minute after Lopez dinked a superb ball over the top for the teenage star.
The 19-year-old slammed home at the near post for what he thought was Barca’s second goal but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside after a VAR review.
Lopez netted the second with a crisp finish in the 22nd minute after former Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon teed him up.
Barcelona suffered a blow when Eric Garcia had to go off hurt midway through the first half after a collision with team-mate Rodri’s shoulder, on the midfielder’s first start since arriving this summer from Manchester City.
Yamal fired narrowly wide and Lopez struck the post as Flick’s side continued to dominate. Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a smart save to thwart Arnaut Danjuma at his near post before the break.
Raphinha, starting again as the team’s centre-forward, tapped home his sixth goal of the season from close range after Lopez fed him.
Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski saved from Rodri before Pedri netted Barcelona’s fourth after an exchange of passes with Dani Olmo.
