FC Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Club: Perfect start continues
Hansi Flick could not have wished for a better start to his tenure as FC Barcelona coach. Two games, two 2-1 wins, and against top quality opposition in Valencia and now Athletic Club.
Occasionally dazzling, always workmanlike, it was a solid performance this Saturday with Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski producing the goals either side of a penalty equaliser from the visitors.
Yamal scorcher
With Dani Olmo still not registered to play in La Liga, Pedri for Marc Casado was the only change from the side that had beaten Valencia seven days earlier.
And Lamine Yamal takes the honour of the first goal of the season at the Estadi Olimpic. And a fine goal it was too, brilliantly struck from outside the area, albeit assisted by a deflection of the head of Athletic defender Lekue on the way.
Visitors hit back from the spot
Raphinha and Ferran Torres had come closest before then, and the fine crowd of 46,448 were being treated to plenty of Barça chances but frustratingly the teams would be going in for the interval all square.
The equaliser came in unusual circumstances. In quick succession, what looked like clear penalties at both ends went ignored by the referee. VAR intervened, and as the first of the two offences was that committed by Pau Cubarsi in the Barça area, it was Athletic's penalty that stood.
Oihan Sancet converted and without having done much to earn it, Athletic were back level
Back ahead
Lewandowski was looking to become the first player since Leo Messi to score more than once in the first two games of a Liga season. And it could have happened. But twice he hit the crossbar, and Athletic's stand-in keeper Alex Padilla produced a stunning save to deny the him from point-blank range.
But with just over a quarter of an hour to go, Lewy finally cracked it. Pedri's original attempt was parried away by Padilla. But only as far as the predating Pole who slammed in his third goal of a season that is just two games old.
The Basques did their best to salvage a second equaliser, but the Catalans held fast at the back and Ter Stegen was never really troubled. Two fine victories in the bag, and a midweek trip to Rayo Vallecano to come, where the aim will be to make it three out of three.