Barcelona Claims Top Spot in La Liga with Dominant Victory
Barcelona ascended to the top of La Liga with a commanding victory over 10-man Athletic Club in their first match at Spotify Camp Nou since May 2023.
Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for the home side in the fourth minute, marking their return to the iconic stadium, which had been closed for extensive renovations.
Ferran Torres added two goals in the second half, both assisted by the impressive 15-year-old Lamine Yamal, who had made only one previous appearance at the Nou Camp.
Fermin Lopez also contributed to the scoreline, netting a goal in the 48th minute, while Athletic midfielder Oihan Sancet was sent off for a reckless challenge on Lopez just six minutes later.
The match, attended by a crowd of 45,157, saw large sections of the Nou Camp remain closed due to ongoing renovations.
These renovations, originally set to be completed by November 2024, will ultimately increase the stadium's capacity to 105,000.
Barcelona now sits at the top of the league with 31 points from 13 matches, although Real Madrid could reclaim the lead if they win their game in hand against Elche on Sunday, November 23.
Lewandowski's early goal came from a low shot that deflected in off Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon, marking his eighth league goal of the season.
The home team doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Yamal delivered a brilliant pass to set up Torres for a well-taken finish.
Lopez made it 3-0 just after the break with a powerful shot from near the penalty spot.
Sancet's tackle on Lopez was initially shown a yellow card but was upgraded to a red after the referee consulted with the video assistant referee (VAR).
In the closing moments of the match, Yamal displayed his skill before assisting Torres again, whose second goal was initially disallowed for offside but was later confirmed after a VAR review.
This match marked a triumphant return to their home ground for the reigning Spanish champions, who had played most of their matches at the 55,000-capacity Olympic Stadium on Montjuic hill since renovations began in June 2023.
They were also compelled to play two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to their women's team, this season due to safety permit issues concerning the Nou Camp.