Following two and a half years in exile, Barcelona triumphantly defeated Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to share the top spot in La Liga.
The Spanish champions had intended to reopen the stadium a year ago, but construction problems forced them to wait until afterward.
Robert Lewandowski gave the opener with a brace, and Ferran Torres added a pair. Oihan Sancet was sent off in the second half, but Fermin Lopez also struck in a consoling victory over Athletic.
Real Madrid and Hansi Flick’s side both won the match at the top of the table. On Sunday, Los Blancos travel to Elche.
More than 45 000 fans filled the three stands that had been opened before and after the game, which Barca did.
Despite exorbitant costs, the game was essentially sold out. By 2026, Barcelona hopes to have a capacity of 105, 000 for the entire season.
After the goalkeeper had missed the previous nine games with injuries, Flick was able to name Joan Garcia. Garcia assisted the team in maintaining its first consecutive clean sheets since September.
Fans were able to celebrate the team’s first goal at the new stadium after much longer than anticipated upon their return to Camp Nou.
In the fourth minute, veteran striker Lewandowski, sporting the captain’s armband, opened the scoring.
Lewandowski beat Unai Simon with a powerful low strike from Eric Garcia, who was playing in midfield in place of Frenkie de Jong, who was suspended.
Lewandowski scored his eighth league goal of his injury-hit, stop-start season by holding the ball out when the Basque goalkeeper had a hand to it and should have kept it out.
Lionel Messi, a legendary player from Barca, made an impromptu visit to the newly renovated stadium a few weeks ago, and the crowd sang his name in the 10th minute, noting Barca’s glittering past as they ushered in a new era.
The away fans also made it clear that they had no intention of forgetting Nico Williams’ decision to leave for Spain and that they would continue to whistle Spain forward whenever they could.
Barca almost had a second playing Fermin Lopez, but Simon saved his effort and fired a narrowly wide.
In the first half, former Barca coach Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic made life difficult for them at times without creating too much of a risk.
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Torres at Double ,
Unai Gomez, a collegiate forward, fired over and hit a cross that Williams missed before Barca doubled their lead at half-time.
Lamine Yamal played Torres through with the outside of his boot, and Simon, who once more had a chance to keep the shot out, beat him.
The Catalan giants again struck early in the second half with a superbly executed Lopez-finishing effort from Lopez.
Athletic’s miserable afternoon got worse when Sancet, a midfielder, reprimanded after a VAR review after punching down Lopez in frustration.
On a strong back-to-back, Joan Garcia tapped Dani Vivian’s header past the line.
Raphinha, a Brazilian winger, was replaced in the second half by Flick after an injury spell. Within a few seconds of being introduced, he whipped a shot narrowly wide.
When Yamal made another superb pass to Torres, the former Manchester City forward, tucked away his second, Barca finished off a fantastic afternoon back at home.
Source: Channels TV
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