Barcelona has fired a renewed league title to its rivals by dismantling Valencia with five goals in the first half in Catalonia.
The Blaugrana scored five goals in the week, through a sensational late victory in the UEFA Champions League over Benfica, but exceeded that line of score to defeat the Che by 7-1.
The damage was done with ruthless style before the break when Frenkie de Jong scored his first goal at the house of the season, followed by the goals of Ferran Torres and Raphinha, before the 15th minute.
Both Jong and Torres justified Hansi Flick’s decision to place them in the titular alignment and that pattern was continued by another new face when Fermín López’s double put the fifth place.
Despite the total domain of Barcelona, there was still time to be scared in the early stages, since Wojciech Szczesny granted a penalty for the second consecutive game, only for the VAR to cancel the sanction for a previous foul.
While the hosts calmed down after the resumption, Valencia fought hard for comfort and Hugo Hard stabbed the goal to win some pride at the time of play.
However, there was even more to come from the hosts at the end, since Robert Lewandowski left the bench to score a sixth goal and a goal in the own goal of César Tárrega made the seventh.
Despite its incredible victory, Barcelona is still in third place in the league table after tonight, and is three points from Atlético de Madrid and seven from the leader of the table, Real Madrid.
With a position in the eighth of the UEFA Champions League already insured, Flick can focus its resources on internal matters in the coming weeks, until the rounding rounds begin in mid -February.
They will receive the Alavés next weekend before an instant meeting with Valencia in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey on February 6 at the Mestalla Stadium.
Images via getty images/one football