This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
On Sunday, Barcelona marked a triumphant return to winning ways with a resounding 5-2 La Liga victory over Real Betis, a week after their surprise 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao.
Barcelona's emphatic win was marked by Gerard Pique's 500th appearance for the club, and the team's performance was led by a double from French World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann.
Despite starting on the back foot, Barcelona rebounded in style, with Griezmann scoring four minutes before halftime to level the scores at 1-1.
The French striker's maiden goal for the club proved to be the catalyst for the Spanish champions, who went on to score four more unanswered goals in 27 second-half minutes.
Coach Ernesto Valverde praised Griezmann's performance, saying, 'I have to admit it was a really important day for him given the absentees we had. He responded brilliantly.'
Valverde also acknowledged the significance of Griezmann's debut at the Camp Nou, saying, 'For us, it's fundamental to have players who can clock up goals and the fact Griezmann debuted at the Camp Nou and scored is great news.'
Carles Perez, making his first start for the club, then made it 3-1 after 56 minutes, followed by Jordi Alba's strike on the hour from close range.
Substitute Arturo Vidal then finished off a wonderful team move 13 minutes from the end, and two minutes later, Loren netted a stunning consolation strike from 25 meters for the visitors.
Barcelona's victory marked a significant turnaround for the team, who have now earned three points from two La Liga games, while Real Betis have lost both of their games this season.
