Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Brazilian forward Raphinha both struck twice as the Catalan giants thrashed Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at Camp Nou on Monday. The emphatic victory marked Barcelona's third win from three matches, maintaining their flawless start to the season.
Rayo Vallecano's Sergio Camello netted a brace for the visitors, but Hansi Flick's side managed to secure a comfortable win. Yamal, 19, scored his first goal of the season, reaching the milestone of 50 goals for the club, two years younger than Barcelona legend Lionel Messi was when he achieved the same feat.
Flick praised his team's performance in the first half, despite conceding an early goal. "I think the first half we played really fantastic," he told DAZN. "The goal, 1-0 against us, can happen but the reaction was quite good and I loved a lot of things I saw in the first half."
However, the Barcelona coach was disappointed with his team's defensive lapses in the second half, allowing Rayo to score a second goal when they were leading 3-1. "When you are 3-1 ahead especially at home you have to control the game much better," Flick explained. "We have the quality to control it, to have more ball possession. The mentality of our team and some players is always wanting to attack."
Barcelona started brightly but fell behind when Jules Kounde allowed Alvaro Garcia to race beyond him. The Rayo midfielder crossed for Camello to finish clinically first time into the top corner. Stung, champions Barcelona hit back quickly with quickfire goals from Raphinha and Yamal.
Raphinha, who has played up front during the start of the season amid Barcelona's failed battle to land Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, continued his rich vein of goalscoring form. The Brazil international showed excellent footwork to leave Pathe Ciss for dead and then produced a cool finish.
Watching on from the stands was Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, poised to join Barca before the transfer window closes on Tuesday and clearly facing a battle with his compatriot to start up front. "For me he's a top striker and of course for us very important, he can give us a lot of things and very happy that he's here," said Flick of Jesus.
Yamal scored his first of the season after Rayo conceded possession in a dangerous area following a defensive mix-up. Yamal opened up some space and brilliantly whipped the ball into the near top corner to bring up his half-century for Barca. Flick's side stretched their lead early in the second half when Florian Lejeune bundled Anthony Gordon's cross into his own net.
However, youngster Xavi Espart could not handle Camello at a Rayo corner and the forward nodded home his second of the game to give the visitors a fighting chance. The electric Gordon helped create Raphinha's second of the night and the Brazilian's fifth of the season, making him La Liga's top goalscorer.
Former Newcastle winger Gordon backheeled the ball to Raphinha who tucked home to secure Barca's win, with Yamal further extending their advantage in stoppage time. "In the last games (Yamal) could not score, but he's shown his quality through his career. Today he scored and we're happy for him," said Barca midfielder Marc Bernal.
