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Keen to return to winning ways following their Europa League stalemate with Napoli, Barcelona traveled to Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium on Sunday for a vital La Liga clash.
At a tricky venue, the Blaugrana dominated proceedings from the get-go and cruised to an emphatic 1-4 win courtesy of a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hat-trick.
Xavi’s men looked in control right from kick-off, stringing clever passes and running the opposition ragged with their movement. Given the way the game was going, it came as little surprise when Aubameyang broke the deadlock from Jordi Alba’s ball in the 23rd minute.
Nine minutes later, Frenkie de Jong got on the scoresheet to put Barcelona two goals to the good.
Instead of tightening things up at the back, Valencia completely surrendered control after the second goal. Seven minutes before the half-time whistle, Aubameyang tapped the ball in from close range to practically seal the game for the Blaugrana.
Valencia did start the second half strongly and got one goal back through Carlos Soler, but that was merely a consolation at that point.
Ten minutes after Valencia’s goal, the visitors restored their three-goal cushion, courtesy of Pedri’s fine strike. Luckily for Aubameyang, Pedri’s effort took a deflection off his back on its way in, which ultimately saw the officials accredit the Gabon international for the goal.
Here are five Blaugrana stars who ensured a commanding victory for the traveling side at Mestalla:
#5 Sergio Busquets
Barcelona skipper Sergio Busquets put on a commanding show on Sunday, proving why Xavi still has complete faith in his abilities.
Often criticized for his “laid back” approach, Busquets looked rather lively and proactive against Valencia. He was in complete control of Barca’s midfield play, pulling strings with his effortless, risk-free distribution.
The Spaniard also combined exceptionally with Ousmane Dembele for De Jong’s goal, picking out the Frenchman’s run with an inch-perfect lofted through ball.
Busquets is still the master of the game on his day.
#4 Jordi Alba
Having faced harsh criticism following his sub-par performance against Napoli on Thursday, Jordi Alba made it a point to prove his worth at Valencia.
The Spain international split his former side open with a brilliant lofted ball from his own half in the 23rd minute. Former Arsenal ace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the end of it to slot it home.
The 32-year-old left-back was also pretty solid at the back as well. He tracked back well, won three duels and a tackle, and made 11 recoveries.
#3 Pedri
Pedri, a proud graduate of Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, once again produced an eye-catching performance in La Liga.
Introduced in Frenkie de Jong’s place for the final third of the game, the Spaniard barely had enough time to find his footing. Yet, he never looked out of place and picked up right where the Dutchman left off.
The 19-year-old popped up in dangerous areas, brought his teammates into play, and was responsible for Barca’s fourth goal of the afternoon.
In the 63rd minute, the midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the box and hit it with power. The ball swerved its way past Giorgi Mamardashvili, giving the keeper no chance.
The goal was ultimately rewarded to Aubameyang, courtesy of the deflection the ball took off the Gabonese’s back. However, that shouldn’t take anything away from the quality of Pedri’s strike.
#2 Frenkie de Jong
Barcelona’s midfield star Frenkie de Jong scored a morale-boosting goal against Valencia on Sunday afternoon.
The former Ajax man, who hasn’t made the impact many were expecting him to at Barca, showed a different side to his game at Mestalla. He did not see the ball as much as he generally does, and pushed up more often than not.
His 32nd-minute goal demonstrated his knack for being in the right place at the right time. The 24-year-old kept faith in Busquets’ vision and spotted Ousmane Dembele’s run down the right flank.
Anticipating a cross into the area, he burst through the Valencia defenders and applied the finishing touch when Dembele inevitably drilled the ball in.
Don’t be surprised to see him in a more attacking role against Napoli this Thursday.
#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Barcelona may finally have a striker who can effortlessly capitalize on the plethora of chances they create in every single match.
Against Valencia, the former Arsenal captain not only scored his first goal(s) for Barca but also gave a preview of the future.
With Aubameyang leading the line, the midfielders had a clear target to aim at. His 23rd-minute opener was a perfect testament to his pace and movement, while his 38th-minute strike demonstrated his ice-cool finishing.
You wouldn’t necessarily expect a player of Aubameyang’s caliber to miss those chances, but it was great for Barca to see his finishing in the flesh.
His hat-trick goal, which came in the 63rd minute, was easily the weirdest of the lot. The striker simply tried to duck out of the way of Pedri’s strike, but the ball ended up taking a deflection off his back.
The resulting swerve beat the keeper, which ultimately compelled the officials to award the goal to Aubameyang instead of Pedri.
