Scramble to sign Aubameyang starts to pay off for Barcelona

MADRID (AP):

The last-minute scramble to secure the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has started to pay off for Barcelona.

Aubameyang scored a hat-trick for his first goals since joining from Arsenal at the end of the winter transfer window, leading the Catalan club to a resounding 4-1 win at Valencia in the Spanish league yesterday.

It is a reminder of what the striker is capable of, scoring for the first time in four months after falling out of favour and form at Arsenal.

Ousmane Dembélé, who Barcelona wanted to leave but ended staying after rejecting a couple of offers at the transfer deadline, made his first start since then and set up Frenkie de Jong’s goal as Barcelona ended a two-game winless run in all competitions.

The result moved Xavi Hernández’s team back into fourth place in the final Champions League qualification spot in the Spanish league. Defending champion Atlético Madrid, who won 3-0 at Osasuna on Saturday, are fifth. Barcelona trail league leaders Real Madrid by 15 points with a game in hand.

It was the fifth loss in the last seven league games for Valencia, who sit in 12th place. They are winless in seven straight matches in the competition.

LEAGUE WINNERS

Barcelona were coming off a 1-1 draw with Napoli in the first leg of the Europa League playoffs on Thursday. The five-time Champions League winners are back in the second tier of European football after failing to get past the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in nearly two decades.

Barcelona had struggled to capitalise on their chances against Napoli but were much more effective on Sunday, scoring four times from six shots.

Aubameyang’s first goal came when he calmly hit the upper corner in a one-on-one situation in the 23rd minute. His second came from close range in the 38th after a pass by Gavi Páez, and the Gabon forward closed the scoring with a slight redirection of Pedri González’s long-range strike in the 63rd. The goal was initially given to Pedri, but the league later changed it to Aubameyang.

Barcelona signed the 32-year-old Aubameyang after successfully turning in his documentation to the Spanish league in the last minute of the transfer deadline. He had made his first start against Napoli after coming off the bench in the second half of league matches against Atlético and Espanyol.

“He hadn’t been playing much, but little by little, he is gaining space in our team, and hopefully, he will keep helping us like he did today,” Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets said. “He is a great player and it’s a luxury to have him with us.”