Barça and Lamine seduce with a round Gamper (5-0)

Sant Joan DespíThe new Barça is already on its way, keeping the flame of hope from last season alive, but it's doing so on peripheral stages. While awaiting the return to the promised land of Camp Nou, the Blaugrana team arrived at the Johan Cruyff stadium for another edition of the Joan Gamper Trophy, a strange one due to the small number of spectators, the setting, and an opponent who melted like a cube these hot days (5-0). Barça devoured Cesc's Como in 45 minutes, and everyone could see that Lamine Yamal wears the number 10. This team is loaded with reasons to dream, playing the way they play. And the new number 10 is having a blast, seducing with his play and that mischievous laugh.

Flick, aware that second seasons are often complicated, as Cruyff said, promised to "work hard and without excuses" on a matchday in which one of the key players didn't play: Ter Stegen. The goalkeeper sought to be forgiven for his sins with a conciliatory speech under the calm gaze of a smiling Laporta. After receiving some whistles when he came onto the pitch, the goalkeeper ended up receiving applause after saying: "Personally, I think it was important to resolve the issue between the club and me, and now it's time to look forward." In fact, he offered to help the new signings, one of them a starting Joan Garcia who had little work to do against the Lombards. At halftime, Barça was already leading 4-0. This team doesn't need to mess up its hair to score.

It was a Gamper with new faces, like Rashford, a starter in attack alongside Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. The Englishman played now on the wing, now as a center forward, showing character and forgiving an empty net that could have been the 5-0. Without Iñigo Martínez, Araujo played center back alongside Cubarsí, in a team where Fermín showed he's always on point, scoring the first two goals with two sharp shots, taking advantage of the good pressing of a team that seems hungry. If a year ago Gamper was a wreck against Monaco, this season it was a bath and massage for a team that can't stop scoring goals. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal scored one apiece before halftime.

It seemed as if the team was in a hurry to get back to competing, to start working to heal the wound from San Siro. This Barça is as lively as a summer love when you're young. But they work hard, just as Flick wants. And they have a depth of talent, with ready youngsters waiting for their moment. In the second half, Lamine Yamal made it his mission to score the fifth as if it were all child's play, with that mischievous laugh in front of the VIPs present on the pitch, like the singer Nicki Nicole. As is often the case in these games, between the substitutions, the heat, and the fact that the game was already over, the second half was nothing special. Como prayed to avoid conceding any more goals in a match where Sergi Roberto, the Lombards' captain at Gamper, received a lovely tribute.

A tournament that chose Fermín as the best player and ended with another good gesture from Ter Stegen, who was the first to congratulate Joan Garcia on his performance. This Barça keeps the flame alive and inspires fans who filled the Johan Cruyff Stadium with families, tourists, and those who paid €500 for VIP tickets. A high price, but seeing Lamine Yamal wearing the number 10 is perhaps worth it. This Barça seems ready to take off even further.