Robert Lewandowski‘s brace helped propel Barcelona to a 5-2 victory over Red Star Belgrade in a Champions League fixture on Wednesday.
Lewandowski’s goals took him to an impressive 99 career goals in the competition, with additional strikes from Iñigo Martinez, Raphinha, and Fermin Lopez rounding out Barcelona’s emphatic win in Serbia.
Fresh off a 4-1 thrashing of Bayern Munich, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona extended their unbeaten streak to seven games across all competitions, scoring at least three goals in each match. At Rajko Mitic Stadium, they continued their lethal run with an assertive attacking display.
Despite their dominance, Barcelona showed some vulnerabilities, which center-back Martinez acknowledged. “We’re doing a lot of things well, and it’s showing in our play, but as a defender, I can tell you there are areas we suffer in,” he said. “If we can improve those lapses in focus, we have the potential to be a great team.”
Frenkie de Jong returned to the starting lineup for the first time since April, but Flick maintained his high-pressing strategy, which has troubled opponents like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid recently. Red Star, however, almost took an early lead with a disallowed goal from Timi Elsnik, who strayed offside before finishing.
Barcelona struck first after 13 minutes when Martinez nodded in a well-placed free-kick from Raphinha. The Brazilian winger nearly added a second, firing over the bar from a clever pass by young talent Lamine Yamal, and later struck the post directly from a corner kick.
Red Star briefly stunned the La Liga leaders in the 27th minute when Silas broke through Barcelona’s high line, slipping a shot past the advancing Inaki Pena. Gerard Martin, deputizing at left-back for Alejandro Balde, was caught out of position, playing Silas onside.
Barcelona, however, responded with clinical precision, eventually sealing the win and reaffirming their place among Europe’s elite.
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