FC Barcelona returned to Spotify Camp Nou with a dominant 4-0 victory over Athletic Club, featuring goals from Lewandowski, Torres, and Lopez, securing the temporary top spot in La Liga.
The hosts secured a convincing 4-0 victory, with Hansi Flick’s team unequivocally outclassing the opposition. Goals netted by Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres, and Fermin Lopez ensured all three points remained at Camp Nou, allowing Barça to temporarily ascend back to the summit of the La Liga table.
Below are the individual assessments for the Barcelona players, ordered from goalkeeper through to the forward line.
Goalkeeper
Joan Garcia: 7.5
He demonstrated precisely why his presence in goal was so crucial, frustrating Athletic Club with several key interventions. Beyond just his shot-stopping ability, his distribution with the ball at his feet was exceptional.
Defenders
Jules Kounde: 7.5
Barcelona benefitted from a particularly sharp and efficient display from Kounde. His seamless link-up play was outstanding, serving as a vital element that allowed the team to slice through the Athletic Club defence with ease.
Pau Cubarsi: 8.0
Delivering yet another stellar showing, Cubarsi maintained absolute control over the defensive third. His passing was executed with great precision, and his physical defensive contributions were highly commendable.
Gerard Martin: 8.0
Martin adapted superbly to the game’s demands, beginning the match in a central defender role before being seamlessly switched to left-back. He performed exceptionally well in both capacities, turning in a top performance for the Spaniard.
Alejandro Balde: 7.0
He exhibited strong acumen during the first half, skillfully exploiting the full width of the pitch and his speed to create problems for the Athletic Club players. Unfortunately, an injury sustained before the break necessitated his withdrawal for the second half.
Eric Garcia: 8.0
Although he did not receive official credit for the final pass that led to Fermin Lopez’s goal, Garcia was the true architect of the play. Additionally, his defensive work and tireless effort were rated as first-class.
Midfielders
Dani Olmo: 6.5
In contrast to his teammates, who appeared sharp and proactive, Dani Olmo seemed a step behind the action. His slow decision-making led to the disruption of some team counterattacks, and the quality of his passing left a great deal to be desired.
Fermin Lopez: 8.0
Focused and energetic for the majority of the fixture, Fermin Lopez was both ready and eager to make an impact. His pressing intensity was robust, and he capped his hard work with a well-deserved goal of his own.
Attackers
Lamine Yamal: 9.0
A stunning and decisive performance. Yamal constantly put the Athletic Club defenders into uncomfortable and difficult situations. His incredible trivela pass set up Ferran Torres’s first goal, and he followed that later with another sensational assist to Torres.
Ferran Torres: 8.5
A solid offensive outing. Torres was somewhat lucky to convert Yamal’s exquisite pass initially and missed opportunities he should have capitalised on earlier. However, he redeemed himself late in the game by scoring a second goal thanks to Yamal’s sheer brilliance.
Robert Lewandowski: 8.5
The Polish forward turned in a top-tier display, finally appearing to have regained his optimal sharpness. He opened the scoring for Barça at the newly refurbished Spotify Camp Nou and consistently committed to helping the team defensively as well.
Substitutes
Ronald Araujo: 7.0
He made an excellent contribution upon entering the match, adding significant strength and reliability to the defensive unit.
Dro Fernandez: 6.0
The young Spaniard delivered a satisfactory cameo during his brief appearance.
Marc Casado: N/A
He did not have enough time or influence on the match to merit a formal rating.
Marc Bernal: N/A
He also lacked enough time or influence to receive a performance rating.
Raphinha: N/A
Finally making his return to action, Raphinha looked sharp despite not having enough time for a rated assessment.