Teenage star Lamine Yamal struck twice to help table-toppers Barcelona thrash Girona 4-1 in the La Liga clash at Montilivi. Hansi Flick’s side have now won all five of their opening matches and avenged two humiliating Catalan derby defeats by Girona last season with an emphatic victory. Yamal’s first-half double sent Barcelona on their way with Dani Olmo and Pedri Gonzalez adding further goals after the break. Cristhian Stuani pulled one back for the hosts, last season’s surprise package who finished third in only their fourth season in the top flight. Girona lost several key players in the summer with coach Michel Sanchez forced to rebuild. Barcelona have new momentum under former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Flick and produced their best performance of his reign to date. “I think you can see the confidence we have, and when we have the ball, we have the quality to play and to create chances,” Flick told reporters.

“I think today we had a lot of chances to score one or two goals more, but in the end I’m very happy with the performance of the team.” Lamine Yamal and striker Robert Lewandowski came close in the opening exchanges before the teenage star, who led Spain to Euro 2024 victory in the summer, broke the deadlock. The winger picked the pocket of David Lopez as he tried to bring the ball out of defence, before finishing with aplomb past Paulo Gazzaniga after 30 minutes. “We started very concentrated, very focussed, we pressed them — we know when we give them the space they need for combinations we get in trouble,” said Flick. “You saw the first goal, it was unbelievably good (pressing) from Lamine.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan