Barcelona beat Actual Sociedad as Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati impress: Fast response, rankings

By linda Last updated Aug 21, 2022

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Robert Lewandowski scored twice and had an help on his thirty fourth birthday as Barcelona earned a 4-1 win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.

It was Barcelona’s first win of the brand new LaLiga season, with Ansu Fati coming off the bench within the second half to take cost of the match with two assists and a aim.

Polish striker Lewandowski opened the scoring within the first minute of the sport, his first LaLiga aim since transferring from Bayern Munich. Alexander Isak equalised 5 minutes later after latching onto a cross from David Silva.

Barca struggled to interrupt the impasse till coach Xavi Hernandez despatched on Raphinha and Ansu within the sixty fourth minute. Ousmane Dembele scored within the 66th minute with Lewandowski including his second two minutes later. It was then Ansu’s flip within the 79th minute to nab a aim and shut out the sport.

Listed below are the primary speaking factors, participant rankings, and extra from Barcelona’s emphatic win.

Report: Barcelona beats Real Sociedad | LaLiga table | Upcoming fixtures

Fast response

1. Lewandowski celebrates thirty fourth in fashion

Robert Lewandowski, a €45 million summer time signing from Bayern Munich, opened the scoring after simply 49 seconds, turning house after good work from Pedri and Alejandro Balde to register his first aim for his new membership.

La Actual equalised quickly after by way of a deflected Alexander Isak effort after Frenkie de Jong, standing in for the suspended Sergio Busquets, had misplaced the ball in midfield.

The 2 sides then traded blows in a good contest earlier than Xavi Hernandez’s substitutes swung the fixture in Barca’s favour.

Ousmane Dembele continued his advantageous pre-season type to revive Barca’s lead, driving in to the underside nook after a elegant backheel from substitute Ansu Fati.

Dembele’s aim kicked off a sensational final 25 minutes from Barca, with Lewandowski including his second minutes later and the Polish striker then produced a brilliantly improvised cross to arrange Ansu for the fourth.

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2. Ansu steals present in Xavi’s experimental XI

After a colorless goalless draw at house to Rayo Vallecano within the opening fixture of the season, Xavi determined to experiment at Anoeta.

Teenager Balde got here in for Jordi Alba to play as a left wing again, with Ousmane Dembele on the opposite aspect, whereas Ferran Torres made his first begin of the season in awkward midfield 4 with Pedri, Gavi and De Jong.

It was a glimpse of adjusting occasions at Barcelona and was the primary league recreation since Dec. 2020 wherein not one of the membership’s captains — Busquets, Alba, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto — had not began. It did not fairly work, although, so after an hour Xavi confirmed off Barca’s new discovered depth following heavy funding this summer time.

Raphinha, a €55m signing from Leeds United, was launched, however it was an academy graduate in Ansu who stole the present. The 19-year-old made an instantaneous impression, organising targets for Dembele and Lewandowski earlier than scoring his first of the brand new season within the 79th minute.

For all the cash Barca have spent, their most necessary gamers, with an honourable point out for Lewandowski and Dembele, may be two that they already had: Ansu and Pedri.

3. ‘La Actual’ flounder after sturdy begin

Imanol Alguacil will marvel how his aspect misplaced 4-1.

For an hour, they greater than matched Barcelona, rapidly recovering from conceding inside the first minute to not solely degree but additionally have the higher probabilities to guide by half-time.

Solely an excellent save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied David Silva. The German goalkeeper made two extra advantageous stops, each from Mikel Merino, and the house aspect had a aim dominated out for offside.

La Actual will take the positives, although. In Silva, Merino, Takefusha Kubo, Martin Zubimendi and Brais Mendez, they’ve a very productive midfield feeding the spectacular Isak, who netted for the primary time since April right here.

Participant rankings

Barcelona: Ter Stegen 8; Araujo 6, Christensen 7, Eric Garcia 6, Balde 7; De Jong 5, Pedri 7, Gavi 6; Dembele 7, Lewandowski 8, Torres 6

Subs: Ansu 8, Raphinha 6, Alba 6

Actual Sociedad: Remiro 6; Eustondo 6, Zubeldia 6, Le Normand 6, Munoz 6; Zubimendi 6, Brais Mendez 6, Merino 7, Silva 7, Kubo 6; Isak 7

Subs: Cho 6, Turrientes 6, Navarro 6

Greatest and worst performers

BEST: Ansu Fati

Lewandowski’s targets and Ter Stegen’s saves ensured Barca picked up three factors for the primary time this season however with out Ansu’s explosive impression off the bench the Catalans could not have discovered a means by way of within the second half.

WORST: Frenkie de Jong

The Dutch midfielder had a night to overlook, shedding the ball within the build-up to La Actual‘s aim and struggling to fill in for Busquets. His first half efficiency was the symptom of a disjointed Barca, although, and he improved as the sport developed.

Highlights and notable moments

On his thirty fourth birthrday, Robert Lewandowski want lower than a minute to official rating his first for Barcelona.

👽 pic.twitter.com/n5u5HSGGiS

— LaLiga (@LaLiga) August 21, 2022

It did not did appear as if Ansu Fati beamed down from one other dimension with that out-of-this world efficiency.

After the match: What the managers, gamers stated

“It was a troublesome recreation, it at all times is while you come right here. We play with extra endurance, like within the second half, we’re significantly better. We lacked that within the first half. We spoke on the break about attacking the house higher, that’s what we wanted to do. We deserved to win.” – Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez

“We had been mainly enjoying with 5 – 6 forwards. It’s all about dangers and what number of it is advisable to take.” – Xavi on his lineup choices

Key stats (supplied by ESPN Stats & Info)

Lewandowski’s aim at 46 seconds is Barcelona’s quickest in all competitions since Andres Iniesta scored after 43 seconds vs. Recreativo in LaLiga on April 11, 2009.
Lewandowski didn’t document his first profession multi-goal recreation with Bayern Munich till his eleventh match performed in 2014-15.
Ansu Fati is the eleventh completely different teenager with a multi-assist recreation in LaLiga since 2010-11. He’s the fourth to do it as a subsitute.

Up subsequent

Barcelona: After internet hosting a curiously timed pleasant towards acquainted face Pep Guardiola and Manchester City on Wednesday, they welcome Real Valladolid on Aug. 28.

Actual Sociedad: They journey to Elche on Aug. 27.

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