REIGNING Spanish champions Barcelona wrapped up their pre-season with a commanding 5-0 victory over Italian side Como on Sunday.
The match also marked a reconciliation between the club and goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen after recent tensions.
Marcus Rashford made his debut as a substitute following his loan move from Manchester United two weeks ago.
Fermín Lopez and Lamine Yamal each scored twice, while Raphinha added another in the first half to seal the win.
The game was held at the Johan Cruyff Stadium due to ongoing delays in the Camp Nou renovation.
Barcelona displayed fluid attacking play under Hansi Flick ahead of their La Liga opener against Mallorca this weekend.
Before kickoff, Ter Stegen addressed fans in a captain’s speech, days after his public dispute over injury management.
“I think it was important to resolve the issue between the club and me, and now it’s time to look forward,“ said Ter Stegen.
The German goalkeeper had his captaincy reinstated just two days before the match.
“We’re going to fight again for all the trophies and we hope that with your help we can win all the titles possible,“ he added.
Rashford had an eventful cameo, assisting Raphinha’s goal but also missing a simple tap-in opportunity.
Barcelona now shift focus to defending their La Liga title, starting with their away fixture against Mallorca. – AFP
