Barcelona, the defending champion, returned from Villarreal’s “La Ceramica” stadium, with its second successive victory, after an exciting match that ended 4-3 on Sunday in the third round of the Spanish Football League.
The Catalan club achieved its second successive victory without its suspended coach Xavi Hernandez, thanks to the brilliance of young Lamine Yamal and the first goal of the season for Poland’s Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona began the campaign to defend its title with a goalless draw on the ground of Getafe, before it achieved last Sunday, in its first appearance at its new temporary stadium, its first victory for the season, and also came late to its guest, Cadiz, with two goals scored by Pedri in the 82nd minute, and substitute Ferran Torres in the fourth minute of stoppage time. .
Torres was on the date Sunday after he came off the bench to score the equalizer 3-3 in the second half.
Yamal brilliance
In the Cadiz match, Xavi chose Lamine Yamal, 16, in the starting line-up on the right side, instead of Brazilian Rafinha, who was suspended for two matches.
What is this, Jamal 🔥🤯
#VillarrealBarca #LALIGAHighlights#LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/OYVkyKsRxy
– LALIGA (@LaLigaArab) August 27, 2023
Thus, he became the youngest player to start in the history of the Spanish League. He returned to play against Villarreal in a meeting that Pedri missed due to an injury that would keep him out of action for several weeks.
The young man in Barcelona had the main role in opening the scoring since the 12th minute, after he delivered the ball to Gavi after a corner kick, and the latter headed it into the net.
What is this courage, Gavi, with the head and in front of Leva…?
Barcelona opens the scoring at Villarreal La Ceramica#La Liga #Barcelona_Villarreal pic.twitter.com/MlmagsMOn6
– beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) August 27, 2023
And Barcelona believed that he had decided the result in a big way, when the Dutchman, Frankie de Jong, added the second goal in the 15th minute, with a beautiful shot from almost the outskirts of the penalty area.
This is the first time that Barcelona has scored two goals away from home in the first 15 minutes of a league match, since October 2012, against Deportivo La Coruña (5-4), according to “Opta” statistics.
With these two goals, Barcelona became the first team to reach 100 goals against Villarreal during the history of the latter’s participation in the First Division.
However, the “Yellow Submarine” team did not lay down its weapons and returned to the atmosphere of the match, thanks to a header by Argentine Juan Foyth, after the ball reached him after a corner kick from Alex Banja (26).
Summary of Rimontada Barcelona against Villarreal in the match of brilliance of talent by Maine Jamal 📺#VillarrealBarca 3-4 pic.twitter.com/Lhe4okTOZ5
– LALIGA (@LaLigaArab) August 27, 2023
The two teams entered the halftime break while they were at the same distance, after Villarreal equalized thanks to the Norwegian Alexander Sorloth, following a pass from Alfonso Pedrasa (40).
Villarreal started the second half from where the first ended, and hit Barcelona with the goal of advancing through Alex Banja with a beautiful arc shot after another pass by Alfonso Pedrasa (50).
But Barcelona responded strongly and equalized through Ferran Torres 5 minutes after he entered instead of Oriol Romeo (68), before Lewandowski succeeded in scoring his first goal of the season, putting the Catalan club ahead after he followed a rebound from the left post after a shot from the outskirts of the area, Limal (71).
Leva opens his scoring counter #La Liga #Barcelona_Villarreal pic.twitter.com/sabo0n4q06
– beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) August 27, 2023
Lewandowski got a golden opportunity to calm the nerves of his team’s fans in overtime, but he did not invest his solitude in the goal.
However, in the end, his team got the three points with which it raised its tally to 7 points in third place, two points behind rivals Real Madrid, after winning its first three matches for the season.
