Barcelona end LaLiga winless run with 7-1 thrashing of Valencia

BARCELONA: Barcelona snapped their four-match winless streak in LaLiga with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday, with Fermin Lopez scoring an impressive double and adding two assists.

Barcelona sit third in the standings with 42 points, three behind second-placed Atletico Madrid and seven adrift of leaders Real Madrid.

Relegation-threatened Valencia are 19th with 16 points after their first defeat in five matches in all competitions.

Frenkie de Jong opened the scoring after three minutes with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box that found the bottom left corner after Lamine Yamal’s precise cross.

The Dutch midfielder continued to impress and played a key role in Barca doubling the lead. His pass allowed Alejandro Balde to set up Ferran Torres, who steered the ball into the net.

Raphinha added a third before the 15-minute mark, taking advantage of a mistake by Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Valencia goalkeeper was caught in no-man’s land as he raced out to close down the Brazilian, who calmly slid the ball into the empty net.

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Lopez put the icing on the cake in a frenetic first half, adding a fourth on 24 minutes and a fifth before the break with a powerful long-range shot from the right.

“We were coming from a bad dynamic in LaLiga and we needed this win. I needed a game like this. I’ve had a lot of injuries and it was important to gain confidence,” Lopez told DAZN.

Hugo Duro grabbed a consolation for Valencia after the break with a shot from close range.

But Barcelona continued to dominate and substitute Robert Lewandowski added a sixth before an unfortunate own goal from Cesar Tarrega wrapped up the scoring for Hansi Flick’s side.

Barcelona, who came into the game on the back of an impressive 5-4 win at Benfica that earned them a spot in the Champions League’s last 16, face Atalanta in their final league-phase match of Europe’s top-tier club competition on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick hailed his side’s commitment as they ended a four-match LaLiga winless streak with a 7-1 hammering of Valencia on Sunday.

Goals from Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, a double from Fermin Lopez and an own goal saw Barcelona demolish Valencia, with the German coach stressing the importance of the depth of his squad.

“The players showed fresh legs. They were in the game and did a great job. I liked my team’s performance,” Flick told a news conference.

“It’s not a problem for me to have so many quality players to choose from. It’s good. Everyone was impeccable and very committed throughout the game,” added the coach, who made five changes in the match.

He also hailed Lopez, whose brace and two assists were key to the win. “He played a fantastic game, he was very good on the ball and he finished very well.”

The Barcelona manager praised Wojciech Szczesny after the Polish goalkeeper was again preferred to Inaki Pena after also starting in their stunning 5-4 win at Benfica that booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

“It is a difficult situation for Inaki Pena,” admitted Flick. “We always compare what Inaki or Szczesny bring to the table. It’s not a debate, they’re both good. It’s a feeling… and we have to make a decision. I think it was right for him to play.”

Barcelona next face Atalanta in the final match of the league phase of the Champions League on Wednesday and host Alaves in LaLiga on Sunday.