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Barcelona came from behind to beat Valencia 3-1 at Camp Nou in La Liga as Sergio Aguero made his long-awaited debut for the club. Goals from Ansu Fati, Memphis Depay and Philippe Coutinho helped the side cancel out Jose Gaya's fifth-minute opener for the Bats.
Gaya volleyed home from 22 yards out to put the visitors in front after the Blaugrana failed to clear their lines, but Fati equalised just seven minutes later. Gaya then conceded a penalty after catching Fati. and Depay clinically slotted home a fearsome strike to turn the tie around.
Following an entertaining first half, the match lost steam in the second period, but Coutinho came off the bench to add a third goal in the 85th minute.
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Aguero came on just minutes later, marking his return to action after several months out with injury. With time running out, he offered nothing, but the Argentine will surely boost Barcelona's attacking options going forward.
Barcelona picked up their second league victory in six games, and now take on Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday in the Champions League. On that note, here are the hits and flops from either team in the match:
Hit: Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
Despite missing out for almost a year due to injury, Ansu Fati now has two goals in three games this season for Barcelona. His emphatic finish on the night was special, setting Barcelona on their way to an encouraging comeback win.
The 18-year-old, following some good work down the left, exchanged passes with Depay. Fati then thumped home a 22-yard stunner beyond Jasper Cillessen to bring Barcelona level in the match.
Fati, who faced nearly a year out with a serious knee injury, scored on his return against Levante last month. After drawing a blank in the defeat to Atletico Madrid, he has now found the net again, demonstrating his devastating finishing skills.
Flop: Daniel Wass (Valencia)
An important reason why Valencia never built on their quick start was their failure to control the midfield. Among the culprits was Daniel Wass, who was almost non-existent in the match.
The 32-year-old Dane didn't offer too much in midfield, and looked well off the pace too. In fact, he was dribbled past five times in the game. He moved to right-back at some point after the break. But he fared worse there, struggling to deal with incoming threats and conceding possession a few times.
Hit: Jordi Alba (Barcelona)
Another player who returned to the fold after some time was Jordi Alba, who played his first game for Barcelona since August. He faced upto a month out with a muscle injury, and now on his return, produced a bright performance, especially in defence.
Alba fought hard to contain Valencia's attacks down the left flank and cut out their crosses, showing excellent awareness and vision.
He also made four ball recoveries and clearances apiece, making sure everything was tidy at the back for Barcelona. Given the marauding left-back he is, the Spaniard made a subtle impact offensively, but truly stood out for his team in defence on the night.
Flop: Dimitri Foulquier (Valencia)
The Bats were a good side on the night, but Dimitri Foulquier was a weak link in defence. The Frenchman failed to get a handle on either Jordi Alba or Ansu Fati, and was tormented all night long.
He won only three of his seven ground duels and lost possession a total of 14 times in the game, highlighting his frailty on the ball. Struggling to keep up with Barcelona's marauding attackers, he often resorted to using excessive physical force ,and got aggressive at times. The 28-year-old was lucky not to have been sent off.
A right-back by trade, the former Granada man offered no great shakes offensively either. He failed to make a single accurate cross, and also misplaced several of his passes.
Hit: Memphis Depay (Barcelona)
Memphis Depay impressed as Barcelona's lone striker on the night. He got an assist for Fati's goal and then clinically dispatched a penalty which put his side in front for the first time in the match.
The in-form Dutchman was a menace to Los Che, running forward with purpose. He completed six of his eight dribbles as the visitors were sick at the sight of him.
Depay's assist for Fati showed how amazing he is in linking up plays. He made no mistake from the spot for his 13th consecutive penalty for club and country.
The 27-year-old has been seriously good for the Blaugrana since making his debut around two months ago. At this rate, he could be a key player for them.
