Barcelona made a triumphant return to their rebuilt Camp Nou stadium on Saturday following two and a half years in exile with a 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao to go joint top of La Liga.
The Spanish champions had planned to reopen their stadium a year ago but construction delays and other setbacks meant they were forced to wait for their homecoming.
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Ferran Torres netted a brace after Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring. Fermin Lopez also struck in a comfortable win against Athletic, who had Oihan Sancet sent off in the second half.
Hansi Flick’s side pulled level with Real Madrid at the top of the table. Los Blancos visit Elche on Sunday.
“For everyone, the players, the staff, the coaches, it was a special game, and also for the fans to be back here in this stadium is unbelievable,” Flick told reporters.
“I’m happy with the clean sheet, the four goals and the three points — the perfect day for us.”
Barca set off fireworks before and after the game as a little more than 45,000 fans filled the three stands which had been opened.
Despite exorbitant prices, the match was virtually sold out. Barca hope to be able to open up more seats by 2026, and be at the full 105,000 capacity next season.
“We have to wait, step by step… we are looking forward (to that),” said Flick.
“It was amazing today,” he continued. “And at the end, with the right result for us.”
The coach was able to name Joan Garcia after the goalkeeper had missed the previous nine games injured. Garcia helped the team keep their first clean sheet since September.
Fans had to wait much longer than planned to return to Camp Nou, but were quickly able to celebrate the team’s first goal at the new stadium.
Veteran striker Lewandowski, wearing the captain’s armband, opened the scoring in the fourth minute.
Eric Garcia, playing in midfield in place of the suspended Frenkie de Jong, won the ball high up the pitch and Lewandowski beat Unai Simon at his near post with a powerful low strike.
The Basque goalkeeper got a hand to the ball and should have kept it out, but Lewandowski was able to chalk up his eighth league goal of his injury-hit, stop-start season.
“Today was a special day, not only for me but for everyone,” Lewandowski told Barca One.
“I’m very happy that I could score the first goal, coming back to Camp Nou…” he continued.
“I think this first goal for me is something that I’m going to remember forever.”
All-time Barca great Lionel Messi made an impromptu visit to the renovated stadium a couple of weeks ago and fans sang his name in the 10th minute, not forgetting Barca’s glittering past even as they began a new era.
The home fans also made clear they had not forgotten Nico Williams’s decision not to sign for them and whistled the Spain forward at every opportunity.
Lopez came close to a second for Barca but Simon saved his effort and Dani Olmo fired narrowly wide.
Former Barca coach Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic made life difficult at times for Barca in the first half but without creating too much danger themselves.
– Torres at the double –
Athletic forward Unai Gomez fired over and Williams curled wide before Barca doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.
Lamine Yamal played Torres through on goal with the outside of his boot and the striker beat Simon, who again could have kept the shot out.
The Catalan giants struck again early in the second half when Garcia again pressed well high in Athletic territory and then fed Lopez, who finished neatly.
Athletic’s miserable afternoon became even worse when midfielder Sancet hacked down Lopez in frustration and was dismissed after a VAR review.
Flick brought on Brazilian winger Raphinha in the second half after a spell out injured. He whipped a shot narrowly wide within seconds of his introduction.
Barca wrapped up a perfect afternoon back in their home when Yamal played another superb pass to put Torres through, and the former Manchester City forward tucked away his second.
AFP