Fermin Lopez delivered a sensational performance, netting a stunning hat-trick as Barcelona cruised to a commanding 6-1 victory over Olympiacos in their Champions League encounter on Tuesday night at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
The young Spanish midfielder stole the spotlight with his sharp movement, creativity, and deadly finishing, while Marcus Rashford continued his fine European form with two superb goals of his own. The Catalan giants produced a dominant display, especially in the second half, to send a strong message to their continental rivals.
Barcelona dominate early proceedings
From the first whistle, Hansi Flick’s men asserted their dominance with precise passing, aggressive pressing, and quick transitions that left Olympiacos chasing shadows. Rashford almost opened the scoring inside the first five minutes with a well-timed volley that narrowly missed the target.
However, it didn’t take long for the breakthrough to arrive. Lamine Yamal made a dazzling solo run down the flank before squaring the ball to Fermin Lopez, who fired home a powerful shot to make it 1-0. The goal lifted the atmosphere inside the stadium, with Barcelona’s attacking rhythm only getting stronger.
Fermin doubled his tally just before halftime after a clever exchange of passes with Dro Fernandez, showing composure to sit down his marker and calmly slot home Barcelona’s second goal. Olympiacos looked helpless as the hosts continued to carve them open with ease.
Olympiacos attempt a comeback cut short by controversy
After the restart, Olympiacos tried to stage a comeback and found a glimmer of hope when Ayoub El Kaabi converted from the penalty spot following Eric Garcia’s handball. The goal briefly energized the visitors, but their momentum was quickly halted when Santiago Hezze received a harsh second yellow card for a minimal challenge on Marc Casado.
The decision sparked outrage on the Olympiacos bench and shifted the balance entirely back in Barcelona’s favor.
Ruthless second-half display from Barcelona
Taking advantage of the extra man, Barcelona turned on the style in the final half-hour. Rashford’s speed caused constant problems for the visitors, and he soon won a penalty after being brought down in the box. Lamine Yamal stepped up confidently to convert, extending the lead to 3-1.
Moments later, Rashford got his name on the scoresheet with a composed finish from close range after a slick passing move. Fermin Lopez then completed his memorable hat-trick with a thunderous volley from the edge of the box that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
Not content with just assisting, Rashford rounded off the scoring with a spectacular long-range strike to make it 6-1, sealing one of Barcelona’s most dominant European wins in recent years.
The emphatic victory not only strengthens Barcelona’s grip on their Champions League group but also boosts morale ahead of the much-anticipated El Clasico showdown with Real Madrid this weekend.
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