Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha struck twice every as Barcelona romped to a 5-1 win at Villarreal on Sunday in a wild match to keep up their excellent begin to La Liga.
The leaders’ sixth straight league triumph was marred by an doubtlessly critical knee damage to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was taken off on a stretcher.
“I believe it is going to be an enormous damage, when he laid down on the sector… you’ll be able to see it straight,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick advised DAZN.
Lewandowski netted Barcelona’s first two targets and later missed a penalty in a completely entertaining battle on Spain’s east coast at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica.
Ayoze Perez pulled his workforce again into the sport shortly earlier than half-time and the hosts had two targets disallowed, with Pablo Torre and Raphinha’s strikes cementing Barcelona’s victory.
After second-placed Actual Madrid thrashed Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday the Catalans have been capable of restore a four-point lead on the champions.
“It’s crucial for us that we performed a recreation away from residence, we scored 5 targets and in the long run we’ve three factors,” mentioned Lewandowski.
“In the long run it doesn’t matter how, so long as we win that’s excellent.”
Flick gave Eric Garcia one other begin in defensive midfield regardless of his early purple card towards Monaco within the Champions League midweek.
The German coach additionally began reserve workforce gamers Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez, in addition to playmaker Torre instead of the injured Dani Olmo.
Teenage star Lamine Yamal hit the publish early on earlier than Lewandowski slotted residence within the twentieth minute after Torre slipped him in.
Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde did effectively to maintain out a bundled effort from the Polish striker however Lewandowski pounced after 35 minutes for his second.
Conde saved Garcia’s header effectively however the former Bayern Munich hitman transformed the rebound with an acrobatic end from shut vary.
It was his sixth La Liga purpose of the season, taking him two away from Actual Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in Spain’s golden boot race.
– Frantic conflict –
Villarreal have been continuously threatening on the counter and Perez gave them a lifeline after the electrical Nicolas Pepe set him up.
Ter Stegen thwarted Pepe with a sensational save one-on-one earlier than half-time however the German was quickly stricken as he fell badly after catching a nook earlier than the break and was changed by Inaki Pena.
Pepe completed brilliantly early within the second half however his effort was disallowed for a marginal offside name, and Yeremy Pino hit the bar with a header as Marcelino Garcia Toral’s facet drove Barcelona again.
Torre prolonged Barca’s lead with a deflected strike from the sting of the field, a killer blow given Villarreal’s momentum.
Lewandowski hit the publish from the spot after Eric Bailly scythed down Yamal and Villarreal’s Thierno Barry had a purpose dominated out for offside.
Raphinha ended any hopes of a house comeback, first with a deflected shot after which ending after an outstanding Yamal cross left him with simply Conde to beat.
Regardless of the emphatic victory and 100% begin, if Ter Stegen’s damage proves to be extreme it might dent Barcelona’s title hopes.
AFP