Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal struck twice to help deliver a commanding 4-1 win at Girona on Sunday that extended their perfect start to La Liga with a fifth consecutive win while Conor Gallagher scored his first goal in Atlético Madrid colours.
The Spain winger gave Barça a two-goal lead with strikes in the 30th and 37th minutes while Dani Olmo extended their advantage right after the break with a first-time effort from close range.
Pedri scored the fourth with a tap-in in the 64th minute while the Girona substitute Cristhian Stuani netted a consolation goal in the 80th, six minutes before Barça were reduced to 10 men when Ferran Torres was given a straight red card for a nasty studs-up challenge on Yáser Asprilla.
Gallagher, who joined Atlético this summer in a protracted move from Chelsea, gave them the lead at home against Valencia after 39 minutes. Antoine Griezmann doubled their advantage 15 minutes later and Julián Álvarez also scored his first Atlético goal since his summer move from Manchester City.
Barcelona top the league with 15 points, four ahead of Real Madrid, Atlético and Villarreal.
In Serie A, Atalanta, Arsenal’s Champions League opponents on Thursday, won 3-2 at home to Fiorentina, with all the goals coming in the first half.
The visitors were 2-1 up after half an hour but the Europa League holders responded with two goals in 60 seconds at the end of the half: Charles De Ketelaere made it 2-2 with a header and then Ademola Lookman pounced in the first minute of stoppage time.
