Rodri Debuts for Barcelona as Raphinha and Fermin Lopez Secure 2-0 Win Over Athletic Club
Barcelona continued their flawless start to the La Liga season by defeating Athletic Club 2-0 at Camp Nou. The match was especially memorable as summer signing Rodri made his debut for the Catalan team.
Raphinha Opens the Scoring, Fermin Lopez Seals the Win
The Blaugrana secured their second win from two league matches after comfortably overcoming Athletic Club. Coach Hansi Flick fielded a youthful lineup with four teenagers starting, but it was the experienced winger Raphinha who broke the deadlock. In the 37th minute, Raphinha received a perfect through ball from Pedri, skillfully bypassed goalkeeper Unai Simon, and scored his third goal of the season.
Barcelona dominated the game, forcing Simon to make eight saves to keep Athletic in contention. Lamine Yamal hit the crossbar in the second half, while new signing Anthony Gordon narrowly missed on his first start. Athletic failed to register any shots on target during the match. The winning goal came eight minutes before the final whistle when Fermin Lopez capitalized on a poor clearance by Aymeric Laporte, following a low cross from Karim Adeyemi.
Rodri’s Warm Welcome at Camp Nou
Rodri, who joined from Manchester City for €76.5 million (£65m), entered the field in the 63rd minute alongside Dani Olmo, replacing Raphinha and Bernal. He missed the opening 5-0 win against Elche due to minor back surgery after his Golden Ball-winning performance at the World Cup. His arrival sparked loud cheers from the fans, signaling a fresh chapter for Barcelona’s midfield.
Barcelona’s Home Dominance Persists
This win extended Barcelona's unbeaten La Liga home streak to 20 matches, their longest since a 25-game run between November 2012 and January 2014. For Athletic Club, the loss adds to their struggles in Catalonia—they remain winless in their last 16 visits to Camp Nou. Their attack showed little threat, with Nico Williams missing a chance in the first half that summed up their ineffective performance.
Building Momentum Under Flick
With two wins, seven goals scored, and clean sheets in both matches, Hansi Flick’s squad is off to a strong start in defending their La Liga title. The return of Rodri in full health will be a significant boost as fixtures become more demanding. Meanwhile, Athletic Club must regroup quickly to improve their offensive output after a disappointing display.
Upcoming Fixtures:
- Celta Vigo vs Athletic Bilbao: 30 Aug 2026, 21:30
- Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano: 31 Aug 2026, 21:30
