FC Barcelona capped off their pre-season Asian tour with a commanding 5-0 victory over K-League side Daegu FC, completing a clean sweep of wins in what turned out to be a footballing tour of style, flair, and squad depth.
With just under two weeks to go until the new season kicks off, this performance has Barca fans buzzing with anticipation. Gavi bagged a brace, while Robert Lewandowski, Toni Fernández, and Marcus Rashford also found the net.
The team will now return to Catalonia to prepare for the Joan Gamper Trophy clash against Como 1907 on Sunday.
Softfootball reports that Barçelona came out flying from the first whistle, with a goal seeming inevitable from the get-go. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute, and it had the fingerprints of Lamine Yamal all over it. The teenage sensation was electric on the ball, and it was his perfectly weighted pass that allowed Gavi to rifle home from the edge of the box.
Lamine Yamal was the star of the show when Barcelona previously thrashed FC Seoul 7-3, and in this game he was simply, dazzling. More confident and daring than ever, he pulled out trick after trick, keeping defenders guessing all night.
Yet he wasn’t the only youngster to impress Dro Fernández showed flashes of brilliance in the first half, further underlining the club’s exciting youth prospects.
The second goal was a piece of footballing art. A quickfire sequence of passes cut through Daegu’s defense like butter, ending with a pinpoint ball from Gerard Martin that Lewandowski calmly slotted home.
Unlike the tight affair against Seoul FC earlier in the tour, this one was a one-sided affair. Gavi added his second just before halftime, lifting the ball over the keeper with a clever chip to make it 3-0. The result was beyond doubt with an entire half still to play.
Watch the highlight below via Barca official X handle:
Head coach Hansi Flick rang the changes for the second half, just as he had done in the previous two games, bringing on a completely fresh XI. Even under heavy rain, Barça didn’t lose a step, showing off their impressive squad depth.
Toni Fernández added the fourth after a neat build-up involving Dani Olmo and Marcus Rashford, two players already forming what looks like a fruitful partnership. That chemistry paid off again soon after, with Rashford netting his first goal in a Barcelona shirt thanks to a smart assist from Eric García.
It could’ve been even more, with several chances falling Barça’s way late on. The only sour note of the night was an injury picked up by young centre-back Pau Cubarsí. The extent of the damage is not yet clear, but the club will provide an update soon.
With one final friendly to go the Gamper against Como before La Liga action begins away to Mallorca on August 16, Barça’s pre-season could hardly have gone better. Three games, three wins, fifteen goals scored, none conceded, and standout performances from both established stars and emerging talents. If this tour was a glimpse of what’s to come, Culers have every reason to be excited.
