LaLiga: Lewandowski secures Barcelona win over Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski shrugged off a string of missed opportunities to earn the club a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga on Saturday.

Lewandowski, 36, twice hit the woodwork, among other wasted chances, but kept his cool to slot home a 75th-minute winner for the Catalan giants.

Teenage starlet Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead with a deflected effort but Oihan Sancet pulled Athletic Bilbao level from the penalty spot before half-time.

Athletic Bilbao pulled the level shortly before the break when young centre-back Pau Cubarsi clumsily fouled Alejandro Berenguer in the area.

Sancet sent Marc-Andre ter Stegen the wrong way from the penalty spot to send the teams in tied at the break.

Raphinha, in the second half, played in Pedri, whose cross was palmed out by Padilla into Lewandowski’s path and this time he made no mistake.

Polish veteran Lewandowski’s strike earned Barcelona their second win from two league matches under new manager Hansi Flick.

Flick told reporters: “Especially in the first half he could have scored one or two goals. But in the end, this is a goal-getter, a striker, who scores goals.

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“The second goal was the winner, three points, perfect.”

The former Germany and Bayern Munich coach had hoped to utilise new arrival Dani Olmo but with Barcelona unable to register him because of their financial difficulties, the former RB Leipzig playmaker could only watch from the stands.

Pedri started in midfield after injury, along with 17-year-old Spain star Yamal, who shared a joke with his compatriot Nico Williams, a Barcelona target this summer.

The winger is set to stay with Athletic this season and some Barcelona fans whistled him during his engaging battle with Jules Kounde.

Yamal said: “I’m very happy for the win, it’s important to win at home.

“For my goal, I saw a bit of space, I saw Nico coming, who is not very intense when it comes to defending, and when I found the space, I shot.”

Barcelona’s victory against Ernesto Valverde’s Copa del Rey winners is another morale boost after their opening-day win at Valencia.

Champions Real Madrid are widely expected to defend their crown after signing Kylian Mbappe but Flick’s Barcelona have made a perfect start in their bid to snatch it back, despite various injury problems.

Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo are among those who will return later in the season for Barcelona, while Olmo is also waiting for his chance.

The Star