Impressive Barcelona maintains perfect record

Barcelona continued their unstoppable form in La Liga with another commanding victory, defeating local rivals Girona 4-1 on Sunday. After a 7-0 demolition of Real Valladolid, Barcelona delivered another football masterclass at the Municipal de Montilivi, led by the outstanding performance of 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal.

Yamal shines again

Yamal was the star of the show, scoring two quick goals within the first seven minutes to put Barcelona firmly in control. The youngster’s brilliance has been a revelation this season, and with his second and third goals in La Liga, he has now been directly involved in seven goals in the early stages of the campaign, outperforming established stars like Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, and even teammate Robert Lewandowski. The opening goal came courtesy of a mistake by Girona's goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who passed the ball to David López for the build-up. López hesitated, allowing Yamal to capitalize and fire home the 0-1. Just seven minutes later, Yamal doubled Barcelona’s lead, calmly finishing from a deflected cross after a free-kick.

Girona’s response and VAR drama

Girona, featuring Dutch internationals Arnaut Danjuma and Daley Blind, tried to fight back before halftime. Bryan Gil came close with a powerful shot that was brilliantly saved by Barcelona’s goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. Girona thought they had a lifeline when the referee awarded a penalty after a handball by Iñigo Martínez. However, VAR intervened, and the decision was overturned, leaving Girona frustrated.

Barcelona’s continued dominance

Barcelona took complete control after the break. Dani Olmo added a third goal from a tight angle shortly after the restart, though he had to be substituted later due to injury. Pedri scored the fourth goal in the 64th minute with a composed finish following a stunning pass from Marc Casadó. Despite Girona introducing Donny van de Beek as a second-half substitute, the damage was already done. In the dying moments, Girona managed to grab a consolation goal through veteran forward Cristhian Stuani, who slotted home to make it 1-4. However, Barcelona’s joy was slightly tempered when Ferran Torres was sent off late in the game for a reckless challenge on Yáser Asprilla, stepping on the Girona player's foot.

Barcelona's perfect start and upcoming challenges

With this dominant victory, Barcelona remains perfect in La Liga, extending their lead over second-placed Real Madrid to four points. The highly anticipated El Clásico between the two rivals is set for October, but both teams will first shift their focus to the Champions League. Barcelona kicks off their campaign against AS Monaco, while Girona faces the challenge of Paris Saint-Germain. Notably, Feyenoord and PSV will also take on Girona in Europe’s elite competition. Barcelona’s perfect start to the season has set a high standard, and with Yamal in stunning form, the Catalan giants look primed for a title challenge.