Barcelona secured a gritty 2-1 comeback victory over Valencia in their LaLiga opener on Saturday, 17 August. Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored both goals for the side, on either side of the halves to start Hansi Flick’s tenure on a positive note. The match, played at a sold-out Mestalla stadium (Valencia’s home), saw Barcelona overcome early domination by their hosts and a 44th-minute goal from Valencia’s Hugo Duro.
Valencia started strong, with Rafa Mir narrowly missing two diving headers in the opening minutes. Pau Cubarsi, one of three 17-year-old starters for Barcelona, almost scored two own goals while attempting to deflect shots from Andre Almeida and Diego Lopez at the first bar. However, Cubarsi made a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Valencia a quick second goal, keeping Barcelona in the game.
Where to watch LaLiga in India? Live streaming details
Just before halftime, Lewandowski equalised with a tap-in from Lamine Yamal’s cross, which was set up by a long pass from Alejandro Balde. This goal came just a minute after Duro’s opener and kept Barcelona in contention.
In the second half, Lewandowski scored again, this time from the penalty spot. Defender Cristhian Mosquera fouled Raphinha inside the box, and Lewandowski fired the penalty into the top corner to give Barcelona the lead. Despite missing several key players due to injuries and registration issues, Barcelona’s young lineup, featuring three 17-year-olds, managed to secure a hard-fought win under new coach Hansi Flick.
“It was very important to start with a win in such a difficult stadium and with the problems we faced,” Lewandowski told Movistar Plus.
“We didn’t play well for the first 20 to 25 minutes. In the first half we had problems to get close to their box but then we started playing much better and we did it with three or four very young players,” the senior striker showered praise on the youngsters.
“If you can win like this with such young players it is something special and they have shown a big potential. No signs of the lack of experience, they played very well with possession and without the ball. We could have won by a larger margin, but it’s great to start the season with a win,” Lewandowski concluded.