Hat-trick Hero Lewandowski Sends Barcelona Past Vigo in a 4-2 Thriller
9 November 2025
Hat-Trick Hero Lewandowski Lights Up Balaídos as Barca Edge Vigo 4-2
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski starred as Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 4-2 away in La Liga round 12, signaling Barca’s continued push in the title race.
Post-match, Lewandowski spoke about the team’s happiness and focus, noting that beating Vigo here is never easy and that Barca are now just three points behind Real Madrid as the season progresses.
In the first half Barca looked less solid defensively, with Vigo taking advantage and scoring twice. At halftime, the visitors regrouped and controlled the second period, with the fourth goal providing breathing room and a steadier build-up play.
The forward also praised Vigo’s performance, highlighting their speed and willingness to exploit spaces. He stressed the need to tighten defensive organization and analyze what went wrong, adding that the upcoming international break offers a crucial window to fix mistakes.
Lewandowski sealed his hat-trick later in the match, while Lamine Yamal contributed with goals, giving Barca a firm grip on the game as Sergio Carreira and Borja Iglesias replied for Vigo.
Barca climbed to 28 points, three behind the leaders Real Madrid, while Vigo remained on 13 in 13th place. A late pre-match shake-up saw Marc Casado withdraw due to an injury during warm-ups, with Dani Olmo stepping in to start the game.
Head coach Hansi Flick later discussed the squad’s injury problems and the long league campaign ahead, stressing that Barcelona must stay cohesive and hungry as they push for points later in the season.
Key numbers emerged from Opta, including Lewandowski’s place as the third-oldest La Liga player to score a hat-trick in the 21st century, while Vigo’s early pressure underlined the need for stronger defensive organization from Barca. Barca’s attack, led by Lewandowski and supported by Yamal, continues to show depth as Rashford’s influence grows in his first Barca season on loan from Manchester United.
In the broader context, Barca benefited from Real Madrid’s slip-up against Rio Vallecano to claim the win at Balaídos, as the league race tightens and the season moves toward its tougher fixtures.
Injury note and lineup tweak
Just before kickoff, Flick confirmed a late change: Casado was replaced due to an injury sustained during warm-ups, and Olmo entered the lineup in the final moments before the start of the match.
Flick’s pre-match reflections
The Barcelona coach highlighted the club’s ongoing injury challenges but remained confident the squad would stay the course. He acknowledged Vigo’s momentum and emphasized the importance of maintaining defensive balance and team unity to maximize their chances in the remaining fixtures.
As the game unfolded, Flick insisted that the players know what to do and that belief in the project remains strong as they navigate the rest of the season.
Punchlines
Punchline 1: If Barca’s defense keeps this pace, they’ll soon need a referee for the door—defensive lines moving so quickly they’re in another time zone.
Punchline 2: Lewandowski’s hat-trick made the scoreline look easy; my calculator just filed a complaint for too many numbers on one screen.
