Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Barcelona cruised to a 4-1 victory over Girona on Sunday, moving three points clear at the top of La Liga.
The win came after Real Madrid had drawn level with them on points the day before by defeating Leganes.
The match at the Olympic Stadium saw Barcelona maintain their unbeaten record in 2023, stretching it to 20 games. Despite Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe’s brace on Saturday, Lewandowski’s double kept him three goals ahead in the race for Spain’s Golden Boot.
Barcelona took the lead in the first half through an own goal by Girona’s Ladislav Krejci. Girona equalised early in the second half thanks to Arnaut Danjuma’s clinical strike, but Lewandowski’s brace and Ferran Torres’ late goal sealed a dominant win for Barcelona.
Lewandowski, the 36-year-old Polish international, who shows no signs of slowing down, also expressed his desire to continue playing at the highest level for years to come.
Despite Girona’s strong performance last season, when they defeated Barcelona twice, they struggled to match their opponents’ dominance this time. Girona coach Michel Sanchez admitted that Barcelona’s superiority was clear: “There’s a difference between the teams.”
Although Barcelona’s first-half performance was not their best, they managed to break the deadlock before half-time.
After some strong runs by teenage talent Lamine Yamal and a penalty appeal that VAR overruled, Barcelona finally found a way through. A dangerous free kick from Yamal was deflected into his net by Krejci, giving Barcelona a 1-0 lead.
Girona equalised early in the second half with Danjuma’s well-executed finish, but Barcelona responded quickly.
Lewandowski scored his 24th goal of the season, flicking the ball past Girona keeper Paulo Gazzaniga to restore their lead. He added another goal to complete his brace before Torres wrapped up the win with a fourth goal late on.
This victory marked the 20th time Barcelona have scored four or more goals in a game this season, showcasing their attacking prowess as they continue to push for a potential treble.
In other La Liga action, fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Osasuna, allowing Villarreal to close the gap to just six points after their 2-1 win over Getafe.
Real Betis, who are in sixth place, won their sixth consecutive match, beating Sevilla 2-1 in a derby clash. Meanwhile, Valencia’s 1-0 win over Mallorca lifted them to 15th, four points clear of the relegation zone.
