Braithwaite boosts Barca
Madrid, Aug. 16: Barcelona started life without Lionel Messi by defeating Real Sociedad 42 in their Spanish league opener at the Camp Nou on Sunday even if fans admitted it felt like “a leap into the unknown”.
Captain Gerard Pique gave them a 19th minute lead with his 50th goal for the club.
Martin Braithwaite found the net in first half injury time and in the
59th minute. Sergi Roberto added a fourth in the last minute of the game.
Just over 20,000 fans were in attendance as crowds returned for the first time since the pandemic.
However, they had to hold their breath at one stage when Sociedad came back from 3-0 down to get to 3-2 thanks to goals from
20-year-old Julen Lobete in the 82nd minute and a
30-metre free-kick from skipper Mikel Oyarzabal three minutes later.
Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi called time on his two-decade career at Barcelona last week and moved to Paris SaintGermain.
Messi’s memory lingered heavy over the Camp Nou on Sunday despite the removal of a giant photograph of the Argentine superstar from the entrance in the wake of his move to France.
Some banners were in
place well before kick-off venting the fans anger towards president Joan Laporta.
One read “Laporta, Barca is not your business”, while another proclaimed “Barca yes, Laporta no!””It was a big emotional blow,” said 23year-old Barca fan Adria De Lucas.
“I was in my room when I saw the news. I started sending messages to all my friends, and no one
believed it. It was emotionally hard,” the fan added.
The supporter added: “It’s a leap into the unknown (without Messi). We will see what happens.”
Meanwhile, La Liga champions Atletico Madrid got their season underway with a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo. Angel Correa gave Atletico the lead after 23 minutes after being set up by Thomas
Lemar.
Correa added a second goal in the 64th minute just five minutes after Iago Aspas had pulled Celta level from the penalty spot.
However, the game was marred by a mass brawl in the closing stages following a foul on Atletico striker Luis Suarez.
Red cards were brandished for Hugo Mallo of Celta and Mario Hermoso of Atletico.
In Sunday’s late game, Sevilla defeated Rayo Vallecano 3-0 with Moroccan international Youssef En-Nesyri scoring a first-half penalty before new Argentine recruit Erik Lamela grabbed two.
Vallecano played 75 minutes a man short after goalkeeper Luca Zidane was red-carded for bringing down Oussama Idrissi in the move which led to the penalty. —