dizziness Ousmane DembeleWith one goal and three assists in a 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao, the winger was decisive in another Barcelona win, delivering a quick three-goal burst that changed the game inside ten minutes.
If Barcelona had a three-goal blitz in eight minutes against Villarreal, they duplicated the feat in ten against Athletic this Sunday, with Frenkie de Jong again conveying control in midfield through a new arrangement that maximized the team’s momentum.
Xavi set the side up in a different shape on the field. At times De Jong supported Busquets, while Gavi and Pedri advanced ahead of the two holding players. A novel center configuration replaced the usual triangle, aimed at countering Athletic’s midfield pressing.
The lineup saw Eric Garcia and Balde back in the lineup, with Dembélé led higher up the pitch and Lewandowski as the primary reference in attack. Athletic pressed high, seeking to suffocate Barcelona, but the hosts trusted their plan. Returning to Camp Nou, where he bid farewell in January 2020, Ernesto Valverde and his side showed courage and resolve, if not always the same technical quality.
As in the Villarreal match four days earlier, the opening goal belonged to the azulgrana striker. Three of Barcelona’s first four shots found the net, while one shot was saved by Unai Simon. Dembélé was the standout, finishing as the team’s engine and distributor.
The Frenchman perfectly interpreted Xavi Hernández’s instruction to press forward with aggression, taking on one-on-one duels and staying connected to the attack, a role suited to his sometimes fragile consistency on the world stage. When in harmony, Dembélé can be unstoppable, a trait this Sunday clearly demonstrated. The opener came from a move that began with a sprint and a shot saved by Simon, followed by Lewandowski guiding the ball onto Dembélé’s head for a 1-0 lead. It stands as one of the few times in his career that he has scored with a header from such a precise setup.
Barcelona’s attackers supplied the other three goals by providing the assists for Dembélé’s teammates. Sergi Roberto converted a move from inside the area after a swift sequence that culminated in a finish from 18 minutes to make it 2-0, with Iñigo Martínez’ late touch steering the ball into the net. Then a 22nd-minute sequence put the ball on the spot for Lewandowski, who converted with authority.
Nine minutes later Unai Simon was beaten again as a Barcelona counter ended with a finish that extended the lead and marked Lewandowski’s entry on the scoresheet. By the end of the ten-minute spell, the game was effectively decided.
Barcelona then managed the tempo, closing spaces and keeping Athletic at bay. A brilliant intervention from Balde knocked Williams off balance, while Berenguer’s late shot was saved as Athletic failed to force a meaningful reply before stoppage time.
In the second half, Barcelona continued to push the pace, with Pedri close to solving the match again around the 54th minute. Xavi rotated his squad, resting Lewandowski, Pedri and Koundé at various stages to maintain freshness while introducing Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Marcos Alonso. Valverde also shuffled to separate Iñaki Williams and Zárraga around the 70th minute.
Before the finish, Dembélé fashioned another decisive moment by testing Unai Simon with a well-placed diagonal run, setting up Ferran Torres who finished off the move to seal a 4-0 scoreline.
Barcelona secured another victory and closed the gap to Real Madrid in the La Liga table. A negative note came with Sergi Roberto’s injury in the 85th minute, reducing the squad to ten players for the closing minutes. Athletic failed to threaten seriously in the final moment, largely due to Ter Stegen’s steadiness in goal.
Lineups: Barcelona lined up with Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Koundé, Eric Garcia, Balde; Busquets, De Jong, Pedri, Gavi; Dembélé and Lewandowski, with several substitutions across the second half.
Athletic Bilbao started with Unai Simon; De Marcos, Yeray, Íñigo Martínez, Yuri; Vesga; Nico Williams, Zárraga, Herrera, Berenguer; Iñaki Williams. Substitutions were frequent as the match progressed.
Goals: 1-0 at 12 minutes through Dembélé; 2-0 at 18 minutes via Roberto; 3-0 at 22 minutes with Lewandowski finishing from a set piece; 4-0 at 73 minutes through a team move finished by Fernando Torres.
Referee: Martinez Munuera. Card cautions were issued to Busquets, Eric Garcia, Vesga and Xavi Hernández, with a stoppage-time status as the match concluded.
Attendance: 84,817 in the Spotify Camp Nou stadium. A brief moment of silence honored Franchu Francesc Martínez, the former Barça coach-psychologist, before kickoff. [Source: match report]