Hansi Flick has made history as the first manager of FC Barcelona to secure seven consecutive wins at the start of a season. This milestone was achieved on Wednesday when Barcelona defeated Racing Santander 7-2 at Camp Nou, extending their lead at the top of LaLiga to three points ahead of Real Madrid, as reported by ARN News Centre.
Raphinha was the standout performer, netting a hat-trick, while Joao Cancelo, Gabriel Jesus, and Lamine Yamal also contributed to the scoreline. Despite the dominant performance, Barcelona’s defence showed vulnerabilities, allowing Racing to score twice, which provided brief moments of hope for the visitors.
Barcelona started strongly, taking the lead in the eighth minute with Cancelo’s long-range effort that struck the crossbar before going in. Racing’s coach, Jose Lopez, opted to rest several key players, which contrasted sharply with Flick’s decision to field a largely first-choice lineup, highlighting the difference in match rhythm.
Raphinha doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 25th minute after being fouled by Pedro Felipe. However, Racing managed to pull one back through Maguette Gueye, who capitalised on a defensive lapse from Cancelo. Barcelona quickly responded, with Cancelo’s second long-range shot deflecting off Racing’s Asier Villalibre for an own goal, restoring the two-goal cushion.
Raphinha added a fourth goal just before halftime, finishing off a pass from Dani Olmo. Barcelona had a chance to extend their lead further when Lamine missed a penalty after being fouled, with Racing’s goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala making the save.
In the second half, Wojciech Szczesny replaced Joan Garcia in goal for Barcelona. Racing’s Yassir Zabiri took advantage of a mistake by Szczesny to score in the 65th minute, but Raphinha quickly restored the three-goal lead by converting another penalty after Karim Adeyemi was fouled.
Barcelona’s attacking prowess was evident as they scored 28 goals in their first six league matches, solidifying their position at the top of the table with a perfect 18 points. Racing Santander currently sits in 10th place with seven points.
Atletico Madrid’s Strong Performance
In other LaLiga action, Atletico Madrid secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Osasuna, with Jonathan David scoring on his first start for the club. This performance sets the stage for an upcoming derby against Real Madrid, with David in good form after also scoring against Real Sociedad.
Meanwhile, Deportivo A Coruna faced their first defeat of the season, losing 1-0 to Sevilla, and Levante’s match against Athletic Club was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
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