Barcelona moved to the top of the La Liga table with a 4-0 win over Cadiz on Saturday.
Goals from Frenkie de Jong, Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele temporarily pushed the Blaugrana past Real Madrid at the summit of the Spanish top flight – though their rivals have a game in hand.
There was a lengthy pause late in the second half due to a medical emergency concerning one of the Cadiz supporters, and players were instructed to leave the field as the fan received medical attention. The person is now reported to be in stable condition at a local hospital.
Once the game resumed, Barcelona netted their third and fourth goals.
It was a satisfying result for Xavi and his players after he rotated his line-up with the Champions League back in full swing.
Pedri, Ousmane Dembele and Lewandowski didn't start but were brought into the action just before the hour mark with the scoreline at 1-0 through De Jong's first goal this term – a welcome finish after a summer marred by transfer rumours and contract haggling.
The lead was soon doubled as Lewandowski added the simplest finishing touch to a move that saw the ball roll loose in the six-yard box.
Fati and Dembele rounded out the convincing performance with late goals to take Barcelona's goal difference to 14 through just five games.
Getty ImagesWinners
Frenkie de Jong:
It was another strong showing for the Dutch midfielder as he continues to show why it was so important that he didn't leave Barcelona in the summer. With clear chances hard to come by, he showed his goalscoring instinct to arrive into the penalty area at the perfect time to put his team in front. He then played a role in the second goal, battling with the goalkeeper before Lewandowski poked into the empty net.
Alex Balde:
With the added competition of Marcos Alonso for his position, Balde turned in a really strong performance. He was solid defensively as well as tenacious going forward and, on another day, he would have won a penalty for his team after being taken out as he raced into the box.
Jeremias Ledesma:
With panic in the crowd following the medical emergency, the Cadiz goalkeeper acted calmly and quickly. He retrieved medical equipment before racing across the pitch and throwing it into the crowd. His quick response – and that of midfielder Jose Mari – were heroic.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLosers
Ferran Torres:
Given an opportunity to start, Torres needed to prove to Xavi why he is deserving of more chances. His forgettable performance won't help. It was a 56-minute showing in which the Spaniard appeared to be trying far too hard to impress his manager and it didn't work at all.
Cadiz:
The hosts started the game very brightly, especially considering they came into the game without any goals or any points. They were unable to make that count, though, and faded in the second half. They remain rooted to the bottom of the La Liga table.
Memphis Depay:
Like Torres, the visit to Cadiz provided Memphis with the perfect chance to show Xavi what he has been missing so far this season. His performance wasn't quite as poor as his aforementioned teammate but he really struggled to impose himself on the match.
Getty ImagesBarcelona Ratings: Defence
Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6/10):
A boring game from the Barcelona goalkeeper's point of view. Did everything asked of him and passed well.
Hector Bellerin (6/10): There were clearly nerves as he made his debut for his boyhood club but he grew into the game as it went on and will be content with his performance.
Ronald Araujo (5/10):
A rare below-par showing. Never looked particularly comfortable and often fouled the opposing forwards while struggling to maintain his usual quality with the ball at his feet.
Gerard Pique (6/10):
Upon his return to the starting XI, it was a solid, if not spectacular, performance. He tackled well when he needed to and was very accurate with his passes.
Alex Balde (7/10):
A really strong showing. He defended very well while also contributing offensively. He was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty at the end of the first half as he was unfairly challenged.
Getty ImagesMidfield
Sergio Busquets (7/10):
A typical performance in many ways. He never looked flustered in possession while making sure he was omnipresent across the pitch.
Gavi (7/10):
Another performance which showed exactly why the 18-year-old is so highly rated. He was one of the stand-out players for Barcelona with his typically tireless work rate and accurate passes. It was his low cross – parried by Jeremias Ledesma – that led to the opening goal.
Frenkie de Jong (7/10):
Completing a very strong showing from the starting midfielders, he was impressive once again. Getting the opening goal at a key time just capped off a productive afternoon for De Jong.