Real Sociedad 1-4 Barcelona: Lewandowski nets after 45 seconds

Robert Lewandowski nets his first goals for Barcelona – including one after just 45 SECONDS – as Xavi’s side bounce back from opening-day draw to thrash Real Sociedad 4-1

• Robert Lewandowski scored his first competitive goals on his 34th birthday
• The Catalan club won at Real Sociedad to record their first La Liga win
• Ousmane Dembele and Ansu Fati were also on the scoresheet on the night  

Robert Lewandowski needed just 45 seconds to score on his 34th birthday but it was the magic of 19-year-old Ansu Fati that powered Barcelona to a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad.

Inside the first minute Real Sociedad had flooded forward and when shock starter Alejandro Balde, playing wide left in a 3-4-3 in place of Jorid Alba, sprinted forward into space.

Mikel Merino could not stay with him and Igor Zubeldia never came out to close him down so he was free to feed the Polish striker who scored his first league goal for Barcelona inside the first minute.

Robert Lewandowski scored his first competitive goals for Barcelona on Sunday

The lead lasted barely four minutes because Frenkie de Jong made a mistake to allow Real Sociedad back into the game. Playing as the holder in Barça’s midfield because of Sergio Busquets’ suspension De Jong was caught napping by David Silva. His through ball ran to Alex Isak and his shot hit Eric Garcia’s outstretched foot and looped over Marc Andre ter Stegen.

Real Sociedad thought they had scored at the restart when Brais Mendes curled a long free-kick past everyone including Marc Andre ter Stegen. The flag was raised for three Real Sociedad players clearly offside but as none of them touched the ball the home side wanted the goal. It was ruled out because the referee interpreted that they had encroached sufficiently on the Barcelona keeper to have been interfering with play.

Real Sociedad had started the second half strongly but Xavi is blessed with the best squad of forwards in La Liga and on the hour he added Fati and Raphinha to the mix – the former worked his magic within five minutes.

Lewandowski opened the scoring after just 45 seconds in San Sebastian, Spain

His clever back flick played in Dembele and the Frenchman buried his left-foot shot past Alex Remiro to put Barcelona ahead.

Real Sociedad fans will point out that Dembele could have been sent off early on for a stray elbow that downed Aien Muñoz. He escaped punishment and his second goal deflated the home side.

Lewandowski was keen to finish what he started and he scored from close range after a fine close-passing move from Barcelona. Again Fati was in the mix sprinkling his stardust on the pass and move with the ball across the face of the goal which Lewandowski steered past Remiro.

Lewandowski repaid Fati for the fourth. His back-flick was helped by a deflection from Brais Mendes and landed at the feet of the striker who will not be 20 until the end of October and he scored to complete the rout.

Barcelona have signed a lot of players this summer and still want to bring in more. But, even with Lewandowski scoring goals, the special one looks like being Fati. Injuries have slowed his young career down but he is up and running once more and he was too much for Real Sociedad.

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