Sports

Barcelona Extends Perfect Start with 5-0 Rout of Valencia as Rivals Stumble

By 박재호

Barcelona moved into sole possession of first place in Spain's La Liga after a commanding 5-0 away victory over Valencia at Estadio de Mestalla on the 7th (Korean time), marking their fourth consecutive win to open the season. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the sixth minute, before Fermin Lopez doubled the lead in the 22nd minute of the first half. Gavi added a third goal five minutes into the second half, followed by Pedri's strike in the 34th minute. Yamal completed a brace with another goal in the 39th minute of the second half, sealing the rout. Barcelona dominated possession at 70 percent and outshot Valencia 25 to 2 over the course of the match. The result lifts Barcelona to 12 points with a perfect four-win record. The club has scored 17 goals while conceding just two across its opening four matches, producing a goal difference of plus 15, and has scored five goals in three of those four games. Valencia, meanwhile, dropped to the bottom of the table with just one point from one draw and three losses. Barcelona's scoring has been spread across multiple players. Gavi currently leads the team with six league goals, while Yamal and Fermin Lopez are tied for third with four goals apiece. New signing Anthony Gordon has also made an immediate impact, recording five assists in his first four matches - a feat matched by only three other players in La Liga history, the most recent being Lionel Messi during the 2011-2012 season. Rodri has settled into a controlling role in midfield, and another new attacking addition, Gabriel Jeju, made his debut in the match. Speaking afterward, Barcelona manager Hans Flick praised his side's performance, saying, "We played a fantastic game and dominated," while also noting room for improvement: "It wasn't a perfect game; we still need a traditional number nine striker." He added that he was pleased with how Rodri's arrival has contributed to the team's development. Elsewhere in the round, both of Barcelona's principal title rivals suffered setbacks. Real Madrid suffered their first loss of the season and sit in third place with nine points, while Deportivo Alaves rose to second with ten points after the results. Atletico Madrid, featuring South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in, were beaten 3-0 by Athletic Bilbao. Lee started the match and came close to scoring in the second minute, striking the post with a sharp effort, but was unable to register a goal or assist. Of the three clubs considered the leading contenders for the La Liga title this season - Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid - only Barcelona remains unbeaten with a perfect record through four rounds.