Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scored as Spanish champions Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 on Thursday to maintain their perfect start to the La Liga season.
Barcelona controlled much of the contest against their Basque visitors in their first home game of the campaign at the partially rebuilt Camp Nou, where new signing Rodri made his debut.
Raphinha rounded goalkeeper Unai Simon and calmly slotted home in the 37th minute to give the hosts the lead before Lopez sealed the victory eight minutes from time.
Barcelona could have won by a wider margin, however, after missing several chances and hitting the woodwork twice.
“Very happy to play my first game, happy with the victory, we’ve got two from two,” Rodri told DAZN.
“It’s important to keep building up rhythm and adapting to this great team. My first minutes and (I had some) good feelings.”
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick made three changes to the side that thrashed Elche 5-0 last weekend, handing Anthony Gordon his first start for the club while bringing Pedri Gonzalez into midfield and selecting Pau Cubarsi in defence.
With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres having departed, Flick again deployed Raphinha as a makeshift centre-forward.
Barcelona have unsuccessfully attempted to lure Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, who have refused to negotiate with the Catalan club over the Argentina striker.
Raphinha had scored twice in the number nine role against Elche and continued his impressive form by finding the net again, giving Barcelona a deserved half-time lead.
“It doesn’t matter which position Rapha plays, as a captain he’s shown total commitment to this team, to this club,” Flick told reporters.
“You can see the supporters are connected with him and it’s really good.”
Raphinha came close to opening the scoring earlier when he headed Xavi Espart’s cross against the post, while Lamine Yamal’s follow-up effort was deflected wide as Barcelona dominated possession.
The breakthrough eventually arrived when Pedri slipped Raphinha through on goal and the Brazilian rounded Simon before rolling the ball into the net.
Yamal should have doubled Barcelona’s advantage before half-time, but Simon produced a fine save to deny the teenage forward. Gordon was visibly frustrated, believing he would have had an open goal had Yamal squared the ball to him.
Gordon went close himself shortly after the restart, firing narrowly over as Barcelona continued to search for a second.
Yamal, still working his way back to his best after a hamstring injury, then struck the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Simon twice denied Lopez, who had scored a brace in Barcelona’s opening league game, before Flick introduced Rodri for his debut.
The former Manchester City midfielder entered a side that, apart from Gordon, was made up entirely of Spanish players.
Barcelona remained on top but were briefly threatened when Athletic mounted one of their few attacks, with Oihan Sancet striking the post.
The hosts finally secured the points after a mistake from Athletic defender Aymeric Laporte. The centre-back inadvertently turned substitute Karim Adeyemi’s cross back across goal, allowing Lopez to finish into an empty net.
Adeyemi missed a late opportunity to add a third when Yamal picked him out at the far post, but Simon made an excellent point-blank save.
Yamal’s second-half display was an improvement on his subdued first-half performance and his struggles against Elche, with Rodri backing the youngster to rediscover his best form.
“Maybe Lamine came from a moment where he was a bit down and today we tried to help him get back up and saw his best version, even though he didn’t score,” said Rodri, Spain’s World Cup-winning captain.
“The goals will come because the talent is there.”
Athletic Bilbao, meanwhile, have begun the season with two defeats under new coach Edin Terzic.
“I’m not a constant winner, I’m a constant trier,” said the former Borussia Dortmund coach.
“I’m full of belief and trust when I see how we worked in these two games and on the training ground. Sooner or later we’ll get what we deserve and turn results in our favour.”
AFP
