Lamine Yamal recovers the magic in another great night from Raphinha

BarcelonaEverything is going well in this Hansi Flick's Barça, which has kicked off the season like thunder. A thrashing (5-2) against Rayo Vallecano and three unassailable victories in three League matches. The rivals end up as broken toys in the hands of the blaugrana steamroller. No player has a full stomach, everyone puts on their work overalls and, hungry and united, they turn Barça into a marvelous combination of talent and effort that makes a very excited fan base happy, even though this has only just begun. Even Lamine Yamal, who had made some grimaces in the last two matches, showed a beaming smile after scoring a great goal and having a great performance at the Camp Nou. The stadium sings and dances, proud of a squad that has been reinforced with new faces like an Anthony Gordon who has landed on his feet, a Rodri who is gradually picking up pace, and old acquaintances who want to be loved again like Andreas Christensen. Also from youth academy players, like a Xavi Espart who seems to have been playing with the first team for half his life.

Barça flew again at the Camp Nou. Guided by Pedri's compass, Bernal's consistency, and Raphinha's predatory pressing, the blaugranes didn't take long to dominate their opponent. During the first stages of the match, Hansi Flick's team had their rival suffocated and were creating chances. What was missing, however, was converting them. While they were looking to move from intentions to actions, Rayo found a spark in an isolated play. Faced with the passivity of Koundé, which further highlighted that Eric García has overtaken him on the right, the speedy Álvaro García saw the gap to find Sergio Camello's run, who slotted in the 0-1. It was just an accident. Hansi Flick's Barça, which has so many times gifted its followers all sorts of comebacks, signed a new one in just three minutes: from the 19th to the 21st.

First, Espart detected Raphinha between the lines so that the Brazilian, with his compatriot Gabriel Jesus watching him from the stands, continues to confirm himself as a great center forward. Raphinha does everything well. Surely if you ask him to hang a picture for you or fix a pipe, he would manage without problems. A winger, he has taken on the challenge of playing as a striker after the departure of Lewandowski and Ferran and his response has been fantastic: five goals in three games. The Brazilian, captain by Flick's choice, embodies the soul of this team like no one else.

If Raphinha had signed the draw shortly after Rayo's goal, a mischievous Lamine Yamal consummated the comeback with a true golazo. Bernal collected an unfortunate rebound that hit Álvaro García's chest and passed it to the blaugrana number 10. Cut inside, ball settled to the left and, when everyone thought he would look for a trademark curl, Lamine unleashed a thunderbolt that shook the cobwebs from the top corner of the near post. A new collector's goal for the wide range of the blaugrana star who is only 19 years old. With the comeback well underway, in the middle of the first half, the game entered a kind of lethargy that Marc Bernal tried to interrupt with a powerful shot from afar, but the score would not move again until the second half.

In the second half, Dani Olmo, who lacks Fermín's nerve but is instead a fine stylist, quickly shattered Rayo's attempt to get into the game. The Madrid side pushed up their lines and tried to trouble Barça, but what they encountered was a great through ball from the attacking midfielder from Terrassa to Gordon. The British winger, who has already won the affection of all of Camp Nou, looked for a killer pass that Lejeune would eventually turn into an own goal.

It seemed to be the decisive goal, but the party at the stadium, to be complete, would still have to wait a little while. Rayo, with a new display of effectiveness, struck gold from a corner that had originated from a rebound off Christensen. Espart, in the only action of the match that denied him top marks, was soft in marking Camello. The Madrid player scored a brace and gave his side a glimmer of hope. In the next play, a lapse from Joan almost allowed Camello to equalize and instill fear, but Cubarsí saved the furniture.

Lamine Yamal also scores a brace

So much for Rayo's push, because Raphinha would reappear to make fans jump out of their seats with the fourth. A Gordon as tireless in his runs as he was cooperative in his play set up the Brazilian, who shot with all his might to make any attempt by Dani Cárdenas to stop it futile.

There was still the second goal from Lamine Yamal, who paced himself in the second half. Adeyemi left the ball at his feet on the edge of the box and the Rocafonda player adjusted it to the post, impossible for Cárdenas. A messianic finish on the day Leo Messi announced he was leaving the national team. A new victory and a new rout, as in Elche, for a Barça side less brilliant in defense but exuberant in attack