BARCELONA, Sept 7 \u2014 Lamine Yamal struck twice for Barcelona as they demolished Valencia 5-0 yesterday to maintain their 100 per cent start in La Liga.<\/p>\n
The reigning champions moved two points clear at the top of La Liga, after Jose Mourinho\u2019s Real Madrid lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday.<\/p>\n
Unbeaten Alaves rose to second place with a thumping 5-2 victory over Osasuna.<\/p>\n
As well as Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Pedri were also on target for Hansi Flick\u2019s swaggering Barca on a hot afternoon on Spain\u2019s east coast.<\/p>\n
Yamal did not take part in the team training session on Saturday after a knock but showed no signs of it during a dazzling display against Carlos Corberan\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Barcelona, the only team in the top flight to win their first four games, took control from the start to the upset of Valencia\u2019s fans at a persistently bad-tempered Mestalla stadium. Los Che are bottom and yet to win this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe played a fantastic game, it was nearly perfect, we controlled, we were dominant and this is what I want from the team,\u201d said Flick.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe stay calm and then if it\u2019s possible to score, we try to do it \u2014 it was a fantastic game for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing is perfect, you always can improve. If it\u2019s perfect then you can stop working.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yamal opened the scoring with a clever lofted finish in the sixth minute after Lopez dinked a superb ball over the top for the teenage star.<\/p>\n
The 19-year-old slammed home at the near post for what he thought was Barca\u2019s second goal but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside after a VAR review.<\/p>\n
Lopez netted the second with a crisp finish in the 22nd minute after former Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon teed him up.<\/p>\n
Barcelona suffered a blow when Eric Garcia had to go off hurt midway through the first half after a collision with team-mate Rodri\u2019s shoulder, on the midfielder\u2019s first start since arriving this summer from Manchester City.<\/p>\n
Yamal fired narrowly wide and Lopez struck the post as Flick\u2019s side continued to dominate. Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a smart save to thwart Arnaut Danjuma at his near post before the break.<\/p>\n
Raphinha, starting again as the team\u2019s centre-forward, tapped home his sixth goal of the season from close range after Lopez fed him.<\/p>\n
Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski saved from Rodri before Pedri netted Barcelona\u2019s fourth after an exchange of passes with Dani Olmo.<\/p>\n
A long way to go\u00a0<\/p>\n
New arrival Gabriel Jesus came on for his Barca debut as a substitute in the final 10 minutes and sent a low effort just wide.<\/p>\n
Yamal stayed onside to collect another Olmo pass and put away Barca\u2019s fifth and conclude a profitable afternoon for both the World Cup winner and the Catalan giants.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a very young team, with the right transfers we made, but it\u2019s the beginning of the season, it\u2019s not the end,\u201d added Flick, telling his team not to get too excited yet about their strong start.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to go a long, long way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Corberan said his team were up against it from the start after Yamal\u2019s rapid strike.<\/p>\n
\u201cConceding a goal so early, on their first or second attack, made everything much more difficult,\u201d said the Valencia coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a difficult situation that we will navigate together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later on Sunday Lucas Boye bagged a hat-trick for Alaves as they crushed Osasuna 5-2, with two of his efforts coming from long range.<\/p>\n
Former Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz and Pablo Ibanez also scored for Quique Sanchez Flores\u2019s team, while Ante Budimir grabbed two for Osasuna, who fell to their first defeat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope we don\u2019t take our foot off the gas and we stay in this dynamic, which will take us far,\u201d said Boye.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a humble team and we will go game by game.\u201d \u2014 AFP<\/p>\n
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