Barcelona 5 Young Boys 0: Raphinha revitalized and Lewandowski equals Ronaldo

Barcelona thrashed Young Boys 5-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night to claim their first victory in the competition this season.

Two goals from Robert Lewandowski and goals from Raphinha and Inigo Martinez put Hansi Flick’s side 4-0 up before the 60th minute and a late own goal made it 5-0 to the Catalans.

Here, Atlético Dermot Corrigan, Anantaajith Raghuraman and Laia Cervelló Herrero analyze and evaluate the main talking points of the match.

Barça’s brilliant debut

The goal was really well worked, as Barcelona kicked the ball too quickly for the Young Boys defense to react, with impressive movement and understanding between the Catalan team’s four forwards.

Marc Casado passed a pass between the Young Boys lines to Ferran Torres, who moved from his role as a left tackle to take up a central position. Torres connected with a square pass the first time around to find right winger Lamine Yamal, who launched it towards Raphinha, breaking into the box as the number 10 striker.

The pass was perfect for the Brazilian to fire a first shot across Young Boys goalkeeper Marvin Keller. Center forward Lewandowski remained on the field and reached the far post perfectly to shoot the ball into the open net for the first time.

Five players, five touches of the ball and 1-0 for Barcelona in just eight minutes played.

Dermot Corrigan

Raphinha revitalized under Flick

Raphinha started and finished the play for Barcelona’s second goal – the latest sign that he has started the season on fire.

After the Brazilian took a corner from Yamal, the ball was worked by Jules Kounde to Pedri – who turned into the marker and fired a shot that was blocked.

Arriving at the spot was Raphinha, who had gone wide for the corner, but was now in the right place six yards out to tap in the loose ball for 2-0.

With that, there were six goals and four assists in just 10 games this season. He looks like a completely different player this campaign, having been in and out of the team so many times last season under previous manager Xavi, who never seemed to fully trust him.

New coach Flick has revitalized the 27-year-old and he is now full of energy and confidence. Raphinha also wore the armband against Young Boys, having been elected one of the club’s captains by the dressing room during the summer (ahead of teammates Pedri and Lewandowski).

Just over two years after arriving from Leeds United for €60 million (£50 million; US$66.4 million), Raphinha finally looks like a true Barça player.

Dermot Corrigan

Lewandowski still understood

Heading into Tuesday’s match, Lewandowski had scored seven goals in nine games across all competitions this season.

The 36-year-old Pole extended his fine form by scoring twice against Young Boys and reaching double figures in the Champions League for Barcelona, ​​becoming the second player to score 10 or more goals in the competition for three different clubs , after Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus).

Both goals were also a testament to the poaching instinct that Lewandowski has honed throughout his career. He timed his run perfectly to turn in a Raphinha cross at the far post in the first half, before moving in front of his marker to head Martinez home just six minutes after the break. It’s true that the second shot wasn’t perfect, as his header came off his foot, but it counts and that’s all that matters.

Lewandowski’s first goal also meant he equaled another Ronaldo feat by becoming the second player after the Portuguese to score 50 Champions League goals after turning 30, although he is some way behind the Portuguese’s total of 68.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

Martinez rewarded for his persistence

Inigo Martinez scored his first goal for Barcelona (making it 3-0) with a header after an excellent cross from Pedri and also assisted Robert Lewandowski for the team’s fourth goal.

He was rewarded for his perseverance; Martinez played in every game except the one Barcelona lost to CA Osasuna in Pamplona (4-2).

The central defender was one of the players who at certain points in the summer looked like he would not be registered due to financial fair play rules. However, he and the club liked his attitude, skill and presence in the dressing room.

Despite being one of the few players who was not below his best last season, Martinez played a secondary role under former coach Xavi. He was injured in early January and when he returned in February, Pau Cubarsi had taken his place. At the end of the season he played more minutes due to Ronald Araujo’s injury, but he was never a pillar at the heart of the defense.

This season, injuries have forced Eric Garcia to play as a defensive pivot rather than a defender, and as a result, Martinez is now a starter and one of Flick’s key men. He showed that against Young Boys.

He left late, complaining of a back injury. Barcelona desperately hope it’s nothing serious.

Laia Cervelló Herrero

What’s next for Barcelona?

Sunday, October 6th: Alavés (away), La Liga, 3:15pm UK, 10:15am ET

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(Top photo: JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)