Raphinha, Lamal fire Barcelona to 3-0 Champions League win over Aston Villa

What the report says

Barcelona beat Aston Villa 3-0 in Champions League action on Tuesday, with Lamine Yamal scoring early and Raphinha adding two goals after halftime. The result, reported by Al Jazeera from AFP and Reuters, ended Villa’s perfect start in the competition and helped Barcelona respond after a prior European defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The match was played at Camp Nou in wet conditions, and Barcelona’s high press caused problems for Villa from the opening stages.

Barcelona went ahead in the seventh minute after Villa defender Joao Gomes lost possession near his own box, allowing Yamal to finish. Villa had periods of resistance and created several chances of their own, but Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia and the home defense helped keep the visitors from equalizing before the break. In the second half, Raphinha scored from close range after a pass from Fermin Lopez, then completed his brace by converting a cross from Joao Cancelo.

The win gave Barcelona a stronger position in the Champions League league phase race and marked their first clean sheet in the competition in 19 games, according to the report. Raphinha said after the match that he wanted to dedicate the victory to Jesus de Miguel’s family, following the death of the Tenerife striker earlier in the day. Al Jazeera also noted that the pre-match Champions League anthem was not played as a sign of respect. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Bayern Munich, PSG and Manchester United also recorded notable wins in the competition.