A long and excruciating night of football ends in victory for FC Barcelona away from home at the Mestalla. Ultimately, Hansi Flick’s first official game in charge finishes with a 2-1 victory over Valencia. Despite not having all of his key first-team Barcelona players available, Flick managed to lead his team to all three points.
Thanks to a brace by Robert Lewandowski and the efforts of all those around him, Barcelona were able to come back from being a goal down and get the most out of the game. A solid enough opening match sees Barça take all the spoils.
Here are the ratings for the Barcelona players.
Player Ratings:
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen: 6.5
Did not have much to do except for a few moments of panic, but his ball-playing was lacking on several occasions and it could have been very dangerous for Barcelona. Also made a good save early on but could not do much about the conceded goal.
Alejandro Balde: 7.5
The young Barcelona left-back was constantly a thorn in the side for Valencia due to his immense pace and speed. However, despite their best efforts, it was his cross that helped the Catalan club open their scoring. Had to come off during the second half though due to physical discomfort.
Inigo Martinez: 7.0
A commander among the Barça defenders, Inigo Martinez showed great courage and strength throughout the game. While his positioning was the main factor that led to Valencia’s goal, he more than redeemed himself with his overall display.
Pau Cubarsi: 8.0
Despite being thrown into the game without much match sharpness as a starter for this clash against Valencia, Pau Cubarsi showed all the qualities that made him a fan favorite last season. His defensive awareness, positioning, and passing quality was all there to see. Also made a crucial goal-line clearance that arguably won Barça the game.
Jules Kounde: 8.0
The French defender had a slow start to the first half but gradually grew into the game as time went on. His physical presence helped Barcelona regain a lot of possession and he helped win many duels that gave his teammates the ball in dangerous positions as well.
Marc Bernal: 8.0
Composed and cool throughout his time on the field, Marc Bernal was playing quite the elegant brand of football. His passing and vision were both commendable, but his demeanor and composure throughout the game were phenomenal for a player of his age.
Marc Casado: 8.5
Tenacious, agile, and everywhere all at once, Marc Casado had a heroic performance against Valencia. Whenever his teammates would be caught out of position, he would be the first player to make the effort to cover for them. Brilliant display from the young midfielder.
Ferran Torres: 6.0
During his time on the field, Ferran Torres was hardly noticeable. While playing from that left wing, the Spanish winger was more or less non-existent and that side of the pitch would have remained practically useless for Barcelona had it not been for Balde’s contributions.
Raphinha: 7.5
While not everything he tried worked out in his favor, he was important in both goals scored by Barcelona. For the first one, it was his initial pass out wide to Alejandro Balde that allowed the fullback to have enough space to get a decent cross in. When it came to the second goal, it was his speed and willingness to charge for the ball that gave Barça the penalty.
Lamine Yamal: 8.0
A solid outing for the young Barcelona winger as he constantly managed to keep Valencia on their toes and also managed to get the assist that gave his team the first goal. His dribbling was magical to watch but it is still clear to see that he needs a game or two more to find his best version again.
Robert Lewandowski: 9.0
The hero for Barcelona with his two goals against Valencia, the Polish ace has sprung to life under Hansi Flick’s leadership. With a composed brace under his belt now, the Barcelona striker will be aiming for the Pichichi again this season.
Substitutions:
Gerard Martin: 6.0
A solid replacement for Alejandro Balde, but his strengths are not the same as the player he replaced. Instead, he offered a lot more defensive stability.
Andreas Christensen: 6.0
Came on for Pau Cubarsi and also managed to offer some defensive stability.
Pedri: 6.5
Ever since he came on, Pedri activated a lot of players around him. Beyond just being more than capable of taking a shot or two himself, the Spaniard constantly tried to get his forwards the ball in promising positions.
Eric Garcia: N/A
Good outing but not enough influence or time to warrant a rating.
Pau Victor: N/A
Not enough time or influence on the game to warrant a rating.
