Raphinha, Yamal fire Barcelona to 7-2 win over Racing Santander

n n

Raphinha scored a hat-trick as Barcelona ripped Racing Santander to shreds in a spectacular 7-2 triumph in La Liga on Wednesday.

n

Hansi Flick’s league leaders preserved their 100 percent record with a thumping victory over their promoted opponents, moving three points clear of Real Madrid.

n

Joao Cancelo, Gabriel Jesus and Lamine Yamal also scored for the unstoppable Catalan giants, who have netted 33 goals in seven games across all competitions.

n

With lightning flashing above Camp Nou, Barca started at rapid pace and took the lead with a thunderbolt from Cancelo.

n

The defender crashed a shot in off the crossbar from long range in the eighth minute to get Flick’s side up and running.

n

Dani Olmo twice came close before Raphinha won and converted a penalty for Barca’s second.

n

The Brazilian was clumsily brought down by Pedro Felipe and thrashed the spot-kick into the bottom right corner.

n

Racing Santander pulled one back when Maguette Gueye barged his way through and produced a neat finish to beat Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

n

However it proved only brief respite for the visitors, with Cancelo provoking the third with another long-range effort which deflected in off Asier Villalibre.

n

Raphinha, thriving playing as Barca’s centre-forward, bagged Barca’s fourth after he was played in on goal by Olmo.

n

Teenage star Yamal should have added a fifth after the electric Karim Adeyemi was brought down in the box, but Julen Agirrezabala saved his penalty.

n

Barca reserve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny replaced Garcia at half-time after the Spain international appeared to hurt himself while slipping as he went to get the ball.

n

Yamal hit the post and later had a goal ruled out for offside, as the youngster suffered a more frustrating night than some of his colleagues.

n

In the second half Yassir Zabiri pulled another back for Racing after a dreadful error from Szczesny, who tried and failed to dribble the ball.

n

Zabiri tackled him to score. Barcelona’s fifth arrived almost immediately with another penalty after Adeyemi was brought down.

n

Raphinha completed his hat-trick from the spot for his ninth league goal, extending his lead as the league’s top goalscorer.

n

He was replaced by his compatriot Gabriel Jesus, who added the sixth with a sharp finish into the top corner after being played in by Yamal.

n

The winger eventually got his goal when Adeyemi roared down the left wing and set him up for Barca’s seventh and final goal.

n n