Fermín López returned to the FC Barcelona lineup, making another strong statement. The Huelva native was a starter against Como in the Joan Gamper Trophy and made the most of Hansi Flick's confidence, leading the Barça attack in a dominant first half for the Catalans.
The number '16' once again played as the team's attacking midfielder and showcased his fantastic striking ability with two stunning goals in the opening 35 minutes. His brace set Barça on course for a comfortable rout against what was, on paper, the most demanding opponent of the preseason for the Catalans.
Cesc Fàbregas' side arrived in Catalonia with a perfect preseason record (4 wins), the last two against Ajax (0-3) and Betis (2-3). However, they were unable to stop the potent Barça offense, led by a very active Fermín in the high press and with his left foot in fine form to find the back of keeper Butez's net.
Fermín's striking paved the way for Barça's rout in the Gamper
In the 21st minute, López picked the pocket of Kosovan Mërgim Vojvoda. The full-back tried to play the ball out from the back, but the Huelva native surprised him with a clean dispossession. Without wasting time, the Barça academy graduate shifted onto his left to unleash a low, well-placed shot to beat the resistance of the opposing goalkeeper.
After going up 1-0, Barcelona took complete control of the match. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha found plenty of space to beat their opponents for speed, while the movement of Marcus Rashford as the focal point up front also allowed Fermín himself to receive the ball freely at the edge of the area.
The 2-0 came in the 35th minute, once again from the Huelva native. After a run down the right by Lamine and a shot from the number '10' straight at Butez, Frenkie de Jong collected the rebound, setting up the number '16' with a cut-back. Fermín, with time and space, unleashed a placed right-footed shot straight into the top corner, leaving the opposing keeper rooted to the spot.
Fermín pulls ahead of Olmo again: A starter against Mallorca?
A couple of minutes later, the third goal arrived, scored by Raphinha from a Rashford pass. The formula was repeated in the 42nd minute, this time with the Brazilian assisting Yamal. For Fermín López, his brace allows him to once again gain a slight edge in the head-to-head battle for a starting spot with Dani Olmo.
The Terrassa native provided a couple of assists on the Asian tour but missed the Gamper due to physical discomfort. Now, the Huelva native is shaping up to be a starter for the La Liga debut against Mallorca next Saturday at Son Moix (19:30).
Once again, the direct duel between the number '16' and the number '20' for a starting spot could yield excellent results for the team of a Hansi Flick who plays no favorites. Whoever is in better form and achieves the best results on the pitch will be a starter.