FC Barcelona 7-0 Real Valladolid: Magnificent seven

The Estadi Olimpic was running out of names to chant on Saturday afternoon as Barça utterly steamrolled their way to an enormous victory over newly promoted Real Valladolid, but by the end of it the name that was being chanted the loudest was that of the man who had orchestrated this towering monument to footballing brilliance. Today was the day that Hansi Flick totally won over the hearts of the bluagrana faithful as his men produced one of their most dominant displays in a long time.

There were no fewer than seven goals to enjoy, three of them from Raphinha (plus two assists) and there could easily have been more. Dani Omo hit the post twice and also had a goal disallowed for the narrowest of offsides, and the woodwork also got the better of Robert Lewandowski.

Totally on top

If winning the first three games of the campaign hadn’t already sent out a powerful message, today was a warning not only to La Liga’s other 19 clubs but also to the whole of Europe. Barça mean business this year!

And it’s happening with an extraordinarily young set of players. For the fourth time this season, we also got to enjoy Flick handing a debut to a younger player. This time it was the turn of centre-back Sergi Domínguez, who was on for the last half hour.

Raphinha’s 20th minute opener always looked like it was coming. Barça submitted the visitors to such a constant barrage of goal attempts that one was bound to go in eventually. A long through ball from Pau Cubarsí and the Brazilian was on the end of it in a flash and that was the first third of his hat-trick sorted.

The Estadi Olimpic was still celebrating that goal when Lewandowski gave them another to cherish, his fourth in as many games. In a near-replica of the first, this time it was Lamine Yamal providing the initial pass, and the Pole made no mistake with his left-footed finish.

Goalfest

Two goals up with three quarters of the game to play and the only realistic doubt was already how many goals the Catalans were going to win this by. Few would have predicted as many as seven, but that’s what we were going to get!

Jules Kounde added to the bluagrana festivities just before the interval by being the most alert in a goalmouth scramble and bounding an unstoppable strike in-off the top of the right post.

If Valladolid had looked hopelessly outclassed in the first half, the second was going to be no better for them. Shortly after the hour mark, they were punished again, this time for failing to get rid of danger in their area and succumbing to a nicely-struck finish by a well-positioned Raphinha. Two goals for him, four for Barça, the Mexican wave in full flight… Party time at Montjuic!

Raphinha hat-trick

But the best was yet to come. It started from a Valladolid corner, after which Lamine Yamal sped off on a dazzling diagonal run right across the pitch and capped it with the most exquisite of assists…

Raphinha was on the end of it, and thus completed his third hat-trick in the blaugrana jersey and took the team’s tally for day up to five.

Those two had both posted majestic performances, but Dani Olmo had been superlative too. After he’d come so frustratingly close on copious occasions, it was hugely pleasurable to see the new signing finally get his name on the scoresheet.

Seventh heaven

With Barça on a roll and Valladolid in utter disarray substitute Ferran Torres delivered the final blow with five minutes to play. Goal number seven was in the back of the net, and Barça are flying higher than ever in the league table!

But even more importantly than that, the kind of football they are playing is the kind that achieves big things. The 2024/25 season is shaping up very nicely indeed.

The only bad news is that we’ll have to wait a fortnight for the next episode as La Liga takes a break for international fixtures. Next up is the derby at Girona on September 15.