The last-minute scramble to safe the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has began to repay for Barcelona.
Aubameyang scored his first two targets since becoming a member of from Arsenal on the finish of the iciness switch window, main the Catalan membership to a powerful 4-1 win at Valencia within the Spanish league on Sunday.
Ousmane Dembele, whom Barcelona sought after to go away however ended staying after rejecting a few provides on the switch time limit, made his first get started since then and arrange Frenkie de Jong’s objective within the first part. Pedri Gonzalez additionally scored as Barcelona ended a two-game winless run in all competitions.
The outcome moved Xavi Hernandez’s workforce again into fourth position within the ultimate Champions League qualification spot within the Spanish league. Protecting champion Atletico Madrid, which received 3-0 at Osasuna on Saturday, is 5th. Barcelona trails league chief Actual Madrid through 15 issues with a recreation in hand.
It was once the 5th loss within the final seven league video games for Valencia, which sits in twelfth position. It’s winless in seven immediately fits within the festival.
Barcelona was once coming off a 1-1 draw with Napoli within the first leg of the Europa League playoffs on Thursday. The five-time Champions League winner is again in the second one tier of Eu football after failing to get previous the crowd degree of the Champions League for the primary time in just about 20 years.
Barcelona signed the 32-year-old Aubameyang after effectively delivering his documentation to the Spanish league within the final minute of the switch time limit. He had made his first get started within the draw in opposition to Napoli after coming off the bench in the second one part of league fits in opposition to Atletico and Espanyol.
Aubameyang’s first objective got here when he frivolously hit the higher nook in a one-on-one scenario within the twenty third minute, and his 2nd got here from shut fluctuate within the thirty eighth after a cross through Gavi Paez.
De Jong had added to Barcelona’s lead from throughout the house through finishing Dembele’s right-flank cross within the thirty second, and Pedri sealed the victory with a long-range strike within the 63rd which ahd a slight deflection.
Valencia had pulled one nearer within the 52nd with a header through Carlos Soler off Bryan Gil’s go.
Valencia, enjoying within the Copa del Rey semifinals this season, had two targets disallowed within the first part — one through offside within the twenty sixth and some other within the forty first after video overview made up our minds the ball had long gone around the sideline within the buildup.
Lots of the just about 40,000 Valencia fanatics at Mestalla Stadium once more protested in opposition to Singaporean proprietor Peter Lim with banners that mentioned “Lim Pass House.”
SEVILLA FALTERS
2nd-place Sevilla stumbled in its pursuit of Madrid after being held 1-1 at Espanyol, transferring to 6 issues off the lead.
Madrid beat Alaves 3-0 at house Saturday and Sevilla wanted a win to stay handiest 4 issues again.
Sevilla performed a person down from the 76th after defender Jules Kounde was once despatched off with a immediately crimson card after complaining to the referee.
Rafa Mir opened the scoring for the guests within the thirty sixth after an lend a hand through Papu Gomez, who had come into the fit about 10 mins previous to interchange the injured Anthony Martial.
Espanyol equalized early in the second one part with a close-range header through Sergi Darder.
Sevilla is unbeaten in six immediately fits in all competitions. Espanyol, in 14th position, is winless in six consecutive league fits.
Later Sunday, third-place Actual Betis can get inside of 5 issues of rival Sevilla with a house win in opposition to relegation-threatened Mallorca. Within the final fit Sunday, eighth-place Athletic Bilbao hosts seventh-place Actual Sociedad within the Basque Nation derby.