Barcelona triumph in Serbia with a brilliant victory over Red Star Belgrade

Barcelona made it three wins from four Champions League games so far this season on Wednesday night, eventually racking up a 5-2 win over Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital.

Inigo Martinez had put Hansi Flick’s side ahead after 13 minutes, only for Silas to cancel out the advantage during a spell of Red Star pressure. 

However, goals for Robert Lewandowski, his 98th and 99th in the Champions League, either side of half-time, were quickly followed by one from Raphinha as Barca avoided a potential slip-up and raced out of sight.

Late strikes for either side from Fermin Lopez and Milson added more goals to the score-line, but the game had realistically been over as contest since before the hour mark.

Barcelona’s high defensive line was shown to be in fine working order early in the opening stages when Timi Elsnik raced clear and fired the ball beyond Inaki Pena. The flag went up for offside, and a VAR check agreed with that decision: no goal.

Lamine Yamal soon had a decent shot saved by Marko Ilic and, as pressure mounted, the game looked like might become a procession for Barca when Martinez scored a brilliant diving header. 

The centre-back was in the box for a free-kick delivered by Raphinha and converted at the far post.

Yamal almost laid on a second goal midway through the half when he threaded a ball through the home defense that Raphinha was unable to get on target.

 The Catalans were quickly punished for that miss as Silas drew Red Star level only moments later, latching onto a Rade Krunic pass behind the Barca defense and chipping the ball over Pena.

Buoyed by the equalizer, Red Star was right in the faces of their illustrious opponents, although Lewandowski had a sniff at a Barca second when he took the ball around Ilic but was unable to regain control before it ran out for a goal kick.

And it was arguably against the run of play when Lewandowski did convert, showing quick reactions to direct Raphinha’s rebound into the net after the Brazilian’s low strike from just outside the box cannoned off the inside of the post.

Barca could have had a third quickly after the interval when Pedri fired just over the bar with his left foot as the ball fell to him after Jules Kounde’s cross hadn’t been dealt with. 

Lewandowski then somehow put a shot wide after Red Star were carved open by Yamal and Raphinha. But if that was a glaring gaffe, it was impossible for the Pole to miss when he did get the third.

It was another opportunity created by Kounde, whose teasing low ball into the six-yard found Lewandowski at the far post, unmarked and in front of an open net.

And the Frenchman laid on the quickfire fourth as well, running into space in the inside right channel and delivering a cutback to Raphinha on the edge of the box, followed by a precise side-footed finish.

Substitutions from both sides threatened to detail the momentum of the game, but it was actually a replacement who scored next as Lopez found the bottom corner from the middle of a crowded box. That completed Kounde’s hat-trick of assists, again getting forward and cutting the ball back.

Red Star’s second goal was disappointing from a Barca perspective, with Seol Young-woo allowed the time and space to pick out Milson, who then cut inside from the left and curled the ball in. There was still time for Lopez to strike the bar, but 5-2 in Barcelona’s favor was how it finished.