Robert Lewandowski’s double helped lift Barcelona FC into top spot in LaLiga as they cruised to a 3-0 home win against 10-man Elche.
Lewandowski scored in either half and has now registered 11 goals in eight appearances in all competitions since joining Barca from Bayern Munich in the summer.
Memphis Depay also scored his first goal for the Catalans following his arrival from Lyon in July.
Depay’s strike was sandwiched by Lewandowski’s brace, with Elche failing to trouble Xavi’s side after skipper Gonzalo Verdu’s early dismissal for hauling down the Poland striker.The Polish forward continued his sensational form since joining from Bayern Munich this summer, taking him to 11 goals in eight appearances across all competitions.
Real Madrid boast a 100 percent record after five games but face city rivals Atletico Madrid away in Sunday’s derby.
So this was a chance for Barcelona to provisionally depose the champions and they seized it.
“We’ll sleep as leaders for the first time in two years,” said Barca coach Xavi Hernandez. “We’ve done our homework and got the three points. We’re on the right path.”
Xavi rotated in midfield after the Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday, with Frenkie de Jong and Franck Kessie stepping in, while Memphis Depay was handed a rare start in attack.
Elche, bottom of the table, made the job significantly easier for the hosts when Gonzalo Verdu hauled down Lewandowski as he burst through on goal after 14 minutes and was swiftly dismissed.
Barcelona racked up the chances and inevitably Lewandowski broke the deadlock after 34 minutes.Barcelona only had to wait three second half minutes for it, with Lewandowski pouncing on a loose ball in the box and finishing clinically to put the game far beyond Elche’s reach.
After Cadiz’s late win over Real Valladolid on Friday night, Francisco Rodriguez’s side were left bottom of La Liga on one point, and never looked like changing it against Xavi’s sparkling Barca.
Badia denied Lewandowski his hat-trick with a fine save and the striker fired fractionally over the bar before being replaced by Ferran Torres, to an ovation from home supporters already under his spell.
Long after Lewandowski had been replaced, his name continued to ring around the stadium. In the forward, Barcelona finally have a player to replace Lionel Messi’s goal contributions and help them compete for the title again, which they last won in 2019.
Lewandowski’s arrival and the club’s summer signings spree have given supporters a reason to watch again, as the 85,000 strong crowd testified to, compared to last season’s languishing attendances
