Barcelona delivered a ruthless display on Sunday, routing Valencia 6–0 in La Liga despite being forced to host the match at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium due to delays in reopening the revamped Spotify Camp Nou.
Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Fermin Lopez all struck twice as the defending champions climbed to second place, two points behind perfect-record leaders Real Madrid.
Missing teenage star Lamine Yamal through a groin injury—an absence that coach Hansi Flick blamed on Spain’s overuse of him in World Cup qualifiers—Barca still lit up their first home game of the season with a blistering second-half performance.
Lopez opened the scoring on 29 minutes after Ferran Torres’ flick-on, before Raphinha doubled the lead shortly after the restart from Marcus Rashford’s cross. Lopez then rifled in a long-range strike for 3–0, prompting Flick to hail the midfielder’s “amazing quality” and confidence.
Raphinha’s second, smashed in at the near post, put the contest beyond doubt. Substitutes Dani Olmo and Lewandowski combined for the Pole’s first of the season, before teenager Marc Bernal, returning from a long injury layoff, teed up Lewandowski to complete the rout.
Valencia, still reeling from January’s 7–1 defeat by the same opponents, failed to register a first-half shot. Defender Jose Gaya admitted: “We weren’t capable of diminishing their strengths once again. The second goal hurt us badly and then the third killed us.”
Flick, relieved after a disappointing draw at Rayo Vallecano before the break, said: “I appreciate what I saw today a lot, and this is a start after the international break.”