Barcelona 6-0 Pumas: Buckle up, this could be a big season
Xavi's side smashed their opponents as Dani Alves got to wave goodbye to Camp Nou
Barcelona are ready for the season to start. That’s an understatement. At least in football terms, given the club still have to register their new signings. But buckle up. It could be a big one.
Xavi’s side were presented to the fans and ran riot against the defenceless Pumas in the Joan Gamper Trophy, with Pedri and Robert Lewandowski the hunters in chief.
The new No 8 fed the new No 9 to open the scoring, with the Polish forward rounding the goalkeeper and squeezing home from a tight angle.
Then it was Lewandowski’s turn to return the favour, with the striker nudging a brilliant reverse pass into Pedri’s path, and he finished confidently.
Wingers Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele dazzled and combined for the third, with Raphinha teeing up the Frenchman, who smashed home at the near post.
Lewandowski backheeled in Pedri for the fourth, with Barça playing ‘good crazy’ on Dani Alves’s return and farewell.
The second half saw many changes, including Jordi Alba, Ansu Fati, and Frenkie de Jong come on, along with new signing Franck Kessie, who was the most impressive performer after the break.
It was the Ivorian who set up the fifth for another substitute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who netted at the back post from Kessie’s cross.
Auba came close to the sixth goal too, smashing the crossbar late on.
Dani Alves had departed by this point, for a standing ovation as he waved goodbye to his old club - and they waved in the new era.
An era De Jong may still be a part of. He was all smiles as he stroked in the final goal of the game. Is it any wonder he wants to stay? Xavi is cooking up something big.
