Joao Felix scored twice as Barcelona displayed their energy with a commanding 5-0 victory over Royal Antwerp within the Champions League Tuesday, reaffirming their resolve to reclaim a spot amongst Europe’s top-tier golf equipment.
After consecutive humiliating group stage eliminations, Barcelona are determined to go deep on this season’s competitors, final profitable it eight years in the past.
The victory adopted a 5-0 thrashing of Real Betis on Saturday, main coach Xavi Hernandez to explain these two performances as one of the best since he joined the membership in November 2021.
“I think these last two games are the best level we have shown with me as coach – it’s the path to follow,” he advised Movistar.
Felix shone for the Spanish champions on a stroll on a heat evening within the Catalan capital, helped on their method by an personal objective, with Robert Lewandowski and Gavi additionally scoring.
After a troubled spell at Atletico Madrid and a fair worse mortgage at Chelsea, the Portuguese ahead lastly appears able to flourish.
“We all played really well, I am happy with the win and enjoying myself,” stated Felix.
“The most troublesome factor now could be to keep up this stage. I’ve began properly, the crew is enjoying properly.
“Getting to this level it’s not the most difficult thing, it’s maintaining it. We all have to work hard to do that.”
Barcelona’s 2015 triumph was the final in a run of 4 victories over a golden decade within the membership’s historical past, throughout which present coach Xavi Hernandez was a key determine in midfield.
Xavi stated these feats weighed heavy on the membership now, that the present crew had been underneath “brutal” strain to achieve Europe.
It didn’t present in opposition to Antwerp, with Barcelona brushing apart Marc van Bommel’s Belgian title-winners with ease of their first Champions League look on the Olympic Stadium.
With Felix and Joao Cancelo becoming a member of on mortgage on the finish of the summer season switch window, Barcelona instantly appeared a extra dynamic aspect, with supreme inventive high quality within the ultimate third mirrored in successive five-goal wins.
Lewandowski century
Felix opened the scoring for Barca after 11 minutes with a high-quality drilled end after a neat passing transfer ended with Ilkay Gündoğan feeding him.
Lewandowski added the second eight minutes later from shut vary after Frenkie de Jong’s excellent ball discovered Felix, who crossed to the again publish. It was the veteran Polish striker’s one hundredth European objective.
Barcelona went three targets up inside 22 minutes when Raphinha’s cross was deflected into his personal internet by Jelle Bataille.
Gavi added the fourth early within the second half with a blistering strike into the highest nook after a protracted spell of Barcelona possession.
Raphinha created Barcelona’s fifth with a vicious cross to the again publish the place Felix nodded dwelling because the hosts stored up the strain.
“Joao Felix has a lot of quality, a lot of talent and he’s showing it,” De Jong advised Movistar.
“I hope he can keep going like this. If he keeps working like now, he will give a lot to us.”
Xavi introduced on 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal to change into the second youngest participant of all time within the competitors’s historical past.
Tougher challenges lie forward, together with a go to to Porto of their subsequent European recreation at the beginning of October, however Barcelona’s shallowness is greater than at any level since Lionel Messi left in 2021.
Xavi stated Barcelona’s goal was to make it by the group first earlier than worrying about greater challenges, and this was a assured first step.
“It’s an honor to watch the team play at the moment but we have to remain consistent now,” warned the Catalan coach.
“We have to maintain these performances, the hunger, the focus… the players are enjoying themselves, we’re creating a lot in attack.”
Xavi’s reverse quantity, a former teammate of his at Barcelona, praised the hosts’ show.
“For me, Barca, with how they have developed and evolved, of course, they have a chance of winning the Champions League,” stated Antwerp coach Van Bommel.
“But they need some luck … there are a lot of factors.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com