Barça put seven goals past Valencia in this fixture last season, and in 2025-26 they very nearly did it again. In a game played in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Estadi Johan Cruyff and with several key players missing to injury, Lamine Yamal among them, the Catalans cruised to victory with almost embarrassing ease, totally outplaying their guests in every department.

the game as it happened

On a flawless night of football, with braces for each of Fermin López, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, Barça could easily have scored even more. It was the perfect bounceback following a disappointing result at Rayo Vallecano going into the international break, and sets things up nicely for the first Champions League fixture of the season on Thursday.

One-way traffic

Barça’s domination of the first half was so huge that it was extraordinary that they only had one goal to show for it. With 74% possession and 11 shots to Valencia’s none, the ball was rarely out of the opposition’s half. Marcus Rashford, Roony Bardghji and Ferran Torres were all making the very most of their starting opportunities, all coming close on more than one occasion, Torres perhaps having the best of all when he was face-to-face with Valencia keeper Julen Agirrezabala and somehow managed to chip his effort onto the top side of the net.

But he was soon able to make up for that by providing the most delicious of assists for Fermin to brilliantly finish off.

A lovely goal it was, but Barça had deserved so much more. Valencia were bringing very little to the game, and yet going into the second 45 minutes, they were still in the fight.

Turning up the heat

That didn’t last long. Ten minutes into the second half and the one-goal cushion had become three.

Rashford delivered the long cross for Barça’s second. There was a mix-up in communication between defender Copete and his goalkeeper, and Raphinha, on since the interval, said thank you very much and knocked the ball home.

The stadium was still buzzing when goal number three was struck by Fermín. An absolute rocket from outside the area, his second of the evening, and that was the three points as good as secure.

It was time to have fun. Raphinha would soon be doubling up too. A long ball forward from Fermin, some lovely control from the Brazilian and a the ball was slammed goalward with such force that Agirrezabala could do nothing but stand and watch it go in.

Floodgates

66 minutes gone, Barça 4-0 up, and it’s hard to remember a moment when Joan García had even touched the ball! The blaugrana dominance was that extreme.

The Barça players were practically queuing up to score. Lewandowski entered the fray late, but mere minutes after coming on he was finally able to celebrate his first goal of the season, and on the day of his 150th appearance for the club. And what a goal it was, thundered into the very top right corner of the goal, brushing the underside of the crossbar on the way. Sheer perfection.

Two minutes from the end of regulation time, the Pole would complete Barça’s third brace of the night. His cheeky chip to beat Agirrezabala was originally disallowed for offside, but VAR took a second look and the decision was overturned. And that was six! 

Bernal is back

But the biggest news behind the goal was the man providing the assist. The most heart-warming moment of the evening came in the 81st minute when Marc Bernal finally got his first minutes of competitive football since suffering that awful double injury 383 days earlier.

In the mere three games he played before then, the youngster had quickly established himself as one of the most promising talents in the world game. Now the 18-year-old starlet can finally continue his footballing journey, and the standing ovation from the fans and the embraces from his team-mates show how much it means to the Culer community too. 

Thanks to today’s three points, Barça shoot up to second in the table. Next up it’s a European trip to Newcastle on Thursday at 9pm CEST, while in La Liga, there’s another home fixture coming up on Sunday at the same time. Getafe are the guests for that one.

 

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