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Barcelona 4-0 Real Valladolid

By Steven Storrie

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 28: Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on August 28, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 28: Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on August 28, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) /
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Unplayable.

That’s what Barça were at times this evening. Simply unplayable. Returning to the Camp Nou for their first home game of the season, the Blaugrana proved too much for Real Valladolid and swept by them with rampant ease.  Devastating attacking football was the order of the day, dominating possession from the opening minute. Jules Kounde finally made his debut, playing at right back, and looked immediately comfortable in his new surroundings, at one point even making a goal line clearance to help his team preserve a much needed clean sheet.

Nobody looked more at home than Robert Lewandoswki, though. the Polish striker bagged another brace, the first after a great cross from Raphinha, the second when Barcelona were already 2-0 up. Ousmane  Dembélé picked out Lewandowski after another excellent run, and Barça’s new number 9 deftly back heeled the ball into the net, albeit by way of a slight deflection off Joaquín. Dembélé and Lewandowksi seem to already have an intuitive understanding of each others games, and are becoming a nightmare for opposition defenders. Dembélé is so involved with so much of what the Blaugrana do at the moment, seeing a lot of the ball and usually delivering when it comes to the end product, something which wasn’t always the case in early parts of last season.

Either side of Lewy’s goals were another assist for Dembélé, the Frenchman this time finding an incoming Pedri for a sumptuous strike, beautifully stroking the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Lewandowski then saw a shot pushed onto the bar by the Valladolid goalkeeper, before Sergio Roberto was there to put the rebound away.

clinical and precise, Barcelona are setting an early pace that few others will be able to keep up with. Sure it’s early days, but already excitement is building in Catalonia. Next Saturday against Sevilla will provide a more accurate assessment of where Barcelona are at.

Tonight, as far as Real Valladolid were concerned, where they were at was simply out of reach.