The Barça gives another disgust to Valverde
The azulgrana team solved the duel against Athletic in the 20th minute, returning to the Camp Nou of the one who was their coach
MADRID, 23 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona thrashed Athletic Club (4-0) on matchday 11 of LaLiga Santander in a bitter return by Ernesto Valverde to the Camp Nou, as was his departure, surpassing the Basque team with a strong local start that left a 3-0 at 22 minutes.
Xavi Hernández’s team responded to Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla the day before, to remain three points behind the Whites’ leader. Barça took another step forward to ward off the near crisis, with the defeat against Inter and Madrid, with the red pilot still on in the Champions League.
Athletic, one of the best of the league start, was a broken toy in the hands of a forceful Barça and capable of reaching danger in each attempt to overflow inside or outside. Dembélé hunted down the lion in his runs and shots, starring in all four goals.
The Frenchman tested Unai Simon from the beginning and in his rejection, Lewandowski looked for him again to make it 1-0 with a header. After five minutes, this time down the right flank, Sergio Roberto teamed up with Dembélé to make it 2-0, luckily deflecting his shot as he hit Iñigo Martínez.
An unrecognizable Athletic lamented the injury of Ander Herrera and, in the same minute, the 3-0 Lewandowski, in another assist from the ‘Mosquito’. The Pole left his twelfth goal in the League and his umpteenth dance on himself to be left alone in the shot. Xavi also had to make the forced substitution of Gavi.
The young culé star suffered a strong blow between Yuri and Dani García and could not continue. Athletic not only suffered but was unable to generate a scoring chance, while the recently entered Kessie had two without eating or drinking it to make the fourth.
Barça didn’t kill but they didn’t need it either, capable this time of dominating the match from possession against a rival with little faith in turning the score around. Valverde, who was dismissed in 2020 despite leading a League that Barça has not tasted since Txingurri, suffered on the wing unable to lift his team.
Between Lewandowski and Pedri they forgave another very clear one, although in the Barça mind the dosage was already thinking about the Champions League. The Camp Nou gave their love and promised loyalty for next Wednesday against Bayern, where Xavi’s team can still cling to the top continental competition.
Marcos Alonso, Ansu Fati and Ferran joined Barça, while Athletic suffered another injury, that of Dani García. The Basques’ bad day only got worse, while Ansu Fati was not successful with the goal. Ferran was the one who would make the fourth, to a pass again from a Dembélé who received the ovation of the night.
In the last few bars Athletic could do the honor, but for Sancet and Vencedor fortune was not going to be different. After four days without winning, Bilbao’s men fall to sixth place while Barça regains hope in search of a miracle.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: FC BARCELONA, 4 – ATHLETIC CLUB, 0. (3-0, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Koundé (Marcos Alonso, min. 63), Eric, Balde; Busquets, De Jong, Pedri (Ferran, min.63) Gavi (Kessie, min.33); Dembélé (Pablo Torre, min.77) and Lewandowski (Ansu Fati, min.63).
ATHLETIC CLUB: Unai Simón; De Marcos (Lekue, min.60), Yeray, Iñigo, Yuri; Ander Herrera (Dani Garcia, min.21; Sancet, min.61), Vesga, Nico Williams, Zarraga (Vencedor, min.70), Berenguer and Iñaki (Raul Garcia, min.70).
–GOALS:
1 – 0, min.12, Dembélé.
2 – 0, min. 18, Sergi Roberto.
3 – 0, min.22, Lewandowski.
4 – 0, min.73, Ferran.
–REFEREE: Martínez Munuera (C.Valenciano). He admonished Busquets (min.71) by Barça. And to De Marcos (min.16) and Vesga (min.89) in Athletic.
–STADIUM: Spotify Camp Nou.