Rampant Barcelona romp Red Star to fly into top 8

Rampant Barcelona romp Red Star to fly into top 8

Faruq Ibrahim 23:12 - 06.11.2024

Barcelona continue to score with reckless abandon in the Champions League, with their recent triumph over Red Star.

Barcelona continued their dominance in the Champions League since losing their first match against Monaco, beating Red Star 5-2.

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Key match details

Red Star had an impressive start and even had a foam disallowed for offside in the opening exchanges, but Barcelona soon got into rhythm and took the lead within 15 minutes through Inigo Martínez. Raphinha delivered a precise cross for Martínez to head past Marko Illic with ease.

Despite conceding early, Red Star stuck to their game plan of aggressively attacking the spaces behind Barcelona’s backline. This strategy paid dividends when Rade Krunic released Silas Mvumpa through on goal, who in turn unleashed a powerful finish past Inaki Pena to level the score.

However, Barcelona regained their lead on the cusp of halftime, courtesy of Robert Lewandowski's poacher's instinct. Raphinha's initial effort ricocheted off the post, presenting Lewandowski with a simple tap-in into an empty net.

The interval failed to halt Barcelona's momentum, as Lewandowski swiftly doubled his tally and Barcelona's advantage, converting from close range after spurning an earlier opportunity.

Raphinha's persistent threat was finally rewarded with a deserved goal, expertly guiding the ball into the bottom corner from Jules Kounde’s clever cutback for his second assist of the night. Barcelona's dominance was sealed with Fermín Lopez's poked finish, courtesy of Kounde's third assist in the game. 

Red Star managed to score once more against a second string Barcelona side, following a host of changes from Hansi Flick. The goal was probably the pick of the bunch as Angolan forward, Milson, managed to both chip and bend the ball past the outstretched Pena.