La Liga: Adeyemi scores on debut as Barcelona thrash Elche 5-0

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Spanish champions Barcelona cruised to a 5-0 win over Elche on Sunday in their La Liga opener, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut.

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Karim Adeyemi also found the net on his debut as Barca made light work of a vulnerable Elche side at the Martinez Valero Stadium.

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Barca coach Hansi Flick started with several regular starters on the bench as they continue to get up to speed following the World Cup.

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Teenage winger Lamine Yamal, a key part of the triumphant Spain squad, did start on the right but was far from his best, although it did not matter given Barca’s otherwise sparkling display.

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“This is a difficult place to go, and they’re a team that like to have the ball, but we did very well,” Raphinha told Movistar.

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Brazil international Raphinha lined up as the team’s number nine after Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres left the club, and shone.

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Barcelona are still looking for a striker after Atletico Madrid rejected their bid to sign Julian Alvarez.

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“I’ll leave that to the president,” said Raphinha, when asked if Barca needed to sign a number nine. “I am comfortable (anywhere) on the pitch.”

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Raphinha was cut down in the box by Victor Chust and stroked home the resulting penalty after 14 minutes to get Flick’s team on their way.

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Eric Garcia was sharp at the back to ward off a threatening Elche attack, while Barca’s Gavi caught the eye in midfield — admittedly more for his pink haircut, to celebrate Spain’s triumph, than for his performance.

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Rapid winger Adeyemi, playing on the left, started shakily but grew into the game and doubled Barca’s lead before the break after Raphinha unselfishly set him up.

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In the second half, former Newcastle United winger Gordon, on as a substitute, teed up Raphinha for his second and then supplied Lopez for Barca’s fourth in an electric and impressive cameo.

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Youngster Xavi Espart played in Lopez, who endured a difficult summer after missing Spain’s World Cup triumph through injury, for his second to seal Barcelona’s comfortable triumph.

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Flick’s high-line defence showed the occasional sign of its usual frailty, but goalkeeper Joan Garcia did well when called on to keep a clean sheet.

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“We were playing against a great team, and you pay for your errors,” said Elche defender Chust.

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“It was a tough day, but I’ll take from it that the team didn’t stop running.”

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AFP

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