Barcelona’s Camp Nou comeback: a 4-0 display that briefly crowns Barça atop La Liga

Match recap

Barcelona returned to Camp Nou and dominated Athletic Bilbao, cruising to a 4-0 victory in La Liga matchday 13. The win kept them in the title race for the moment as they welcomed back the stadium atmosphere after redevelopment work.

Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring in the fourth minute after a quick turnover in midfield, blasting a shot past the Bilbao goalkeeper. Ferran Torres added two goals, in the 45th and 90th minutes, while Fermín López completed the scoring in the 48th minute with a neat finish from a counterattack.

The result lifted Barcelona to 31 points, temporarily atop La Liga, level on points with Real Madrid but ahead on goal difference. Madrid have a fixture versus Elche tomorrow, offering them a chance to reclaim first place.

Athletic Bilbao remain on 17 points in eighth place, left to rue the late concession and the missed opportunities.

Lineups and key moments

Barcelona’s coach deployed a balanced XI with Lewandowski leading the line, supported by Torres and López as the push for goals continued throughout the game. The defense and midfield offered solidity, helping the team press high and recover possession quickly.

Bilbao, coached by Ernesto Valverde, fielded a competitive setup looking to disrupt the hosts, but were overwhelmed by Barça’s pace and precision in the final third.

Early in the second half, the mood shifted when Oier Sancet was sent off after a VAR review for a dangerous challenge on Fermín López, leaving Bilbao a man down. Barcelona seized the initiative and pushed for more goals.

Rafinha came on to add fresh legs and contained threat from Bilbao’s counters, while Ferran Torres completed the scoring in the 90th minute with a clever finish assisted by Lamine Yamal, despite a late VAR call.

In stoppage time, Torres had a goal disallowed for offside, but the official decision did not dampen the mood as Barça sealed a commanding victory and moved temporarily to the top of the table.

Punchlines: If football had a safety net, Barcelona would be swinging on it. And if the scoreline were a joke, this one would be the punchline that never misses.