After two years and five months, Barcelona returned home to the mythical Camp Nou, which had been closed for extensive renovations. Hansi Flick’s teams were determined not to disappoint in the stadium’s grand reopening, dominating Athletic Club for a 4-0 victory, as the visitors struggled to cope.
It did not take long for Robert Lewandowski to score the first goal in the era of the new Camp Nou, as the Polish striker put Barcelona ahead just four minutes into the match. After dominating the entire first half, Ferran Torres extended the lead just before the halftime whistle, delivering a major blow to the visiting team who had been holding their own.
The second half proved even worse for Athletic Club, as Fermín López scored the third goal just three minutes in, leaving the visiting side with little hope. The situation worsened for Bilbao five minutes later, when, following a hard foul by Oihan Sancet on Lopez, the referee showed him the red card.
To deliver the final blow, Ferran Torres scored again late in the match, setting the final score at 4-0. With the victory, Barcelona pulled level with Real Madrid at 31 points, although Los Blancos play their match tomorrow against Elche and can regain a lead over their rivals.
