Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal scored twice to lead Barcelona to a commanding 4-1 victory over Girona in La Liga on Sunday. The win keeps Barcelona at the top of the table, with the team maintaining a perfect start to the season, having won all five of their opening matches.
Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, exacted revenge on Girona for two losses in last season’s Catalan derby, delivering an emphatic performance at Montilivi. Yamal, 16, opened the scoring with two first-half goals, setting the tone for the dominant display. Dani Olmo and Pedri Gonzalez added two more goals in the second half, while Cristhian Stuani netted a consolation goal for Girona.
“We’re thrilled with the performance today. Everyone was focused, and we played some great football. Yamal is a special talent, and he showed that again today,” Flick said after the match.
Yamal, who helped Spain win the Euro 2024 tournament over the summer, was the star of the night. His first goal came after he dispossessed Girona defender David Lopez and calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga in the 30th minute. Just before halftime, Yamal struck again, this time with a composed finish from the edge of the box after a clearance fell into his path.
Girona, who finished third in La Liga last season, struggled to cope with Barcelona’s attack. Despite losing key players during the summer transfer window, Girona had moments of resistance. Bryan Gil forced a save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the first half, and they were awarded a penalty after Inigo Martinez handled the ball. However, the decision was overturned after a VAR review showed the ball had ricocheted off teammate Alejandro Balde before touching Martinez’s arm.
In the second half, Barcelona extended their lead with a brilliant goal from Dani Olmo, who joined the team from RB Leipzig in the summer. Olmo, who now has three goals in his first three La Liga games, curled the ball into the net from a tight angle. Robert Lewandowski had an opportunity to add his name to the scoresheet, but Gazzaniga denied him in a one-on-one situation.
Barcelona’s fourth goal came from Pedri, who received a clever pass from Marc Casado before calmly dribbling past Gazzaniga to finish. Pedri said, “The team is playing with great confidence right now. Everyone is working hard, and it’s showing in the results.”
Girona managed to score a consolation goal through former Espanyol striker Cristhian Stuani, who found the net from close range with 10 minutes left on the clock. However, Barcelona’s dominance was never in question.
The match ended on a sour note for Barcelona when substitute Ferran Torres was sent off for a high tackle on Girona’s Yaser Asprilla. Despite the red card, Barcelona’s impressive performance and Yamal’s brilliance were the main talking points of the game.
With this victory, Barcelona remains at the top of La Liga with 15 points, four points ahead of reigning champions Real Madrid, who beat Real Sociedad 2-0 on Saturday to move into second place.
“We’re in a good place right now, but the season is long, and we need to keep this momentum going,” Flick added.
Barcelona will now focus on maintaining their perfect record as they continue their pursuit of the La Liga title.