A tale of two halves for Lamine Yamal in Barcelona’s attacking masterclass againt Athletic Club
If you look only at the underlying stats then FC Barcelona created enough clear-cut chances for three, four, even five goals against Athletic Club. Despite an astronomical 3.91 xG (Expected Goals) they only found the back of the net on two occasions in an extremely fun affair against Athletic Club.
The Catalans were fluent in buildup, fluid, flexible and relentless in their attack and yet they quite simply ran head first in the wall of what was arguably an elite goalkeeper performance of the season.
Raphinha reinvention continues
The new look and feel under Hansi Flick's regime continues to deliver, none more so than with Raphinha operating more centrally. Barcelona's number 9 for the night, the Brazilian striker looked completely in his natural habitat.
He opened Barcelona's scoring to illustrate sharp movement and clinical finishing which has characteristed his latest reinvention under Hansi Flick. Playing more centrally has allowed him to elude the isolation wingers often find themselves in, and play at the heart of everything Barca are doing in attack.
Lamine Yamal: Two halves, two very different players
There could have been a fear early for Barcelona that this would be one of those days where Lamine Yamal would struggle, after he missed a number of clear-cut opportunities in the first-half with his typical incisiveness blunted.
However, this is where you separate the men from boys, elite from almost elite and in the second-half the shift in Yamal's game was to put on a complete clinic of a performance. He did not have a goal but it felt like every touch, every dribble, every pass was world class with the teenager able to split the defence at his leisure and create opportunities for his team-mates at will.
Impact from the bench
When needed Barcelona's substitutions delivered immediately as Hansi Flick once again picked an impact substitution from his dugout.
Karim Adeyemi: Provided the immediate zip and pace from the left, and was responsible for Fermin Lopez's tap in goal for Barcelona's second goal of the night.
Rodri debut: Fans also got the first glance of Rodri's talent from the bench as he integrated himself into Barcelona's midfield setup. It's too early to establish anything concrete on his debut, but his inclusion offers encouraging signs to the coaching team.
The wall of the San Mames
In spite of a world class display of attack from FC Barcelona, one man stood above all. Athletic Club's number 1 Unai Simon was named the MVP of the match for his incredible performance:
Total Saves: 8
Saves inside the box: 6
Goals prevented: 1.69
The Spanish international put on a heroic performance between the sticks, stopping close range efforts and commanding his area throughout the match. After an awful performance against Seviila, Unai Simon has more done proven his worth with last night's performance.
You can set everything up right and create huge chances, but you will find few goalkeepers that play at this level who wouldn't have made two saves.
Barcelona are showing clear improvements from last season, and with the UCL stage looking pretty difficult for them, they have to maintain this level throughout the season.
Barcelona play Rayo Vallecano next on 31st August Monday.
