A Fermin López hat-trick and two goals from Marcus Rashford powered Barcelona to a commanding 6-1 Champions League victory over Olympiakos.
The match got off to a flying start when the 22-year-old López opened the scoring from a rebound in the seventh minute and he doubled his tally in the 39th, finishing off a lightning-quick counterattack.
Olympiakos had a glimmer of hope early in the second half when Ayoub El Kaabi cut the deficit to 2-1 with a penalty, but the visiting side’s momentum was short-lived as Santiago Hezze was controversially sent off in the 57th minute for a second yellow card.
The decision incensed Olympiakos but gave Barcelona a numerical advantage they made the most of, as Lamine Yamal fired home their third from the penalty spot after Rashford was fouled in the box in the 68th minute, with the Englishman adding his own name to the scoresheet in the 74th from inside the area.
López completed his hat-trick three minutes later before Rashford then wrapped up the rout with his second goal in the 79th minute following a swift counterattack.
“We needed a win like this ahead of Saturday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid,” López told Movistar Plus. “My first hat-trick with Barca is just a dream come true. We’re going into to El Clasico feeling very positive. It’s a very important game for the club, for us and for the Barça fans.”
The other early game, between Kairat Almaty and the Cypriot team Pafos, finished 0-0, despite the visitors’ João Correia being sent off after only four minutes in Kazakhstan. Pafos had an own goal by Kairat’s goalkeeper, Temirlan Anarbekov, ruled out because of an offside in the buildup.
This story will be updated