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Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 victory over Levante to reclaim pole position in La Liga Sunday.After Real Madrid fell to a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on Saturday, Hansi Flick's side moved a point clear of their bitter rivals with a comfortable victory at Camp Nou against the team in 19th.Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong gave Barca a commanding first-half lead and Fermin Lopez wrapped up the win with a sensational drive late on.Barcelona were glad to get back to winning ways after a 4-0 thrashing by Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week and then a 2-1 defeat by Girona on Monday in La Liga."It was a really bad moment for us but in the end today we gave a good response," Flick told reporters."It's important now to be on top of the table but in the end there's a long way to go."Despite Flick's calls for improvement in defence, Barca were as open as ever, although Levante's poor finishing meant they could not capitalise.Bernal sent Barca ahead after good work by Joao Cancelo, who impressed on a rare start after his arrival on loan in January, and Eric Garcia.It was Bernal's second goal since returning from a long-term knee injury, which kept the 18-year-old out of action for over a year."I thought of my father (in my celebration) and my physio - he told me I would score and he has helped me a lot in this process," Bernal told Movistar.Veteran Polish forward Robert Lewandowski could have doubled Barca's advantage but fired into the ground and over the bar when well placed.Cancelo hit the post with a cross aimed at Lewandowski, before the Portuguese defender carved out the second for De Jong with a similar ball in from the left.De Jong delivered the finishing touch to give Barca a two-goal lead at the break."Joao today he showed his strength, his positive things, he gave us a lot of moments, great chances, for me it was a really good game from him and this is what I want to see," said Flick.Lopez rocketGarcia should have expanded Barcelona's advantage early in the second half but nodded wide from Jules Kounde's tempting cross.Eventually substitute Lopez got a spectacular third, rattling home a long-range effort in off the post.The midfielder might have added a fourth late on but Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan denied him with an excellent reflex save, after first thwarting Raphinha.Flick was able to bring back midfielder Pedri as a substitute after a month out with a hamstring injury, with the Spaniard likely to be key in the testing weeks ahead.Defeat leaves Levante seven points from safety."In the first half we had some chances that, if we put them away, could have got them to doubt themselves," said Levante midfielder Carlos Alvarez."If we'd have gone in front, who knows what could have happened."Earlier Sevilla earned a 1-0 win at Getafe, while third-placed Villarreal host Valencia later on. 

Williams driver Alexander Albon fears missing the Barcelona shakedown last month has left his team clawing to make up lost ground to its main rivals in the build-up on the new Formula One season.With all teams scrambling to conform to the sweeping overhaul of engine and chassis regulations, Williams were behind the pace and so skipped the shakedown, preferring to do virtual track testing with Albon and his teammate Carlos Sainz.Williams did take part in last week's testing in Bahrain and are back on track again this week but the Thai-British driver is concerned that they may have lost some serious ground to Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari."Obviously it was frustrating to miss out in Barcelona," Albon, 29, told AFP on Wednesday."Clearly we missed an opportunity to learn. We are a little bit on the back foot compared to our rivals up and down the grid."And we've realised just there's so much learning to do in these days. Every day has become so valuable."Even just looking at ourselves, how much we've improved from the first day of testing last week to where we are now is huge."Team principal James Vowles has already said he is determined Williams should do at least as well as their fifth place in the constructors' standings in 2025, their joint-best finish in 10 years."I share the same vision as James," said Albon."I feel that it would always be nice to be even more, even closer to the top teams and pulling away from the midfield fight."Realistically, I think it's going to be a big challenge for us to be able to be there."We are as a team very ambitious. Unfortunately we found some bottlenecks and so we are on the back foot."We're not where we want to be for now. That's not to say we can't get back to the top five in the constructors and have a good season, but we have some catching up to do."'Special' ThailandThe London-born driver, who announced his engagement to Chinese LPGA golfer Lily He last month, is just the second driver in 75 years of Formula One to race under the Thai flag."I feel very much Thai in who I am," Albon said."I am Buddhist and I feel very close to Thai people, Thai culture. I resonate much closer to Thailand than I do anywhere else. So it means a lot."What meant a lot to me was my first podium in Formula 1 to see the Thai flag behind me. It was very special."That passion for his mother's country - his father is the British racing driver Nigel Albon - has also stoked a desire to create a Grand Prix in Thailand."One of my biggest goals is to try to make this happen," he said."I think that would be amazing for the country. We're speaking almost every day about how we can make this work. So it's a big goal of mine."I think it has the infrastructure and hospitality and the friendliness to have it."Albon also believes Thailand can position itself as the motorsport capital of the region."There is not really the structure apart from Japan in motorsport for Southeast Asia."There needs to be one. And I would love it to be Thailand."I'd say there needs to be a culture and a structure where we need to make it happen."Also it would be amazing for me to be able to say that Thailand is almost the Asian home of motorsport or Formula 1." 

Barcelona reclaimed top spot in La Liga with a 3-0 win over Real Oviedo Sunday, thanks to goals from Dani Olmo, Raphinha and an acrobatic Lamine Yamal effort.After Real Madrid beat Villarreal on Saturday to take pole position overnight, the Catalans edged a point ahead again.Although Oviedo are bottom of the table with just two victories all season, Barca had to scrap for their victory as the visitors worked hard defensively to keep Hansi Flick's team at bay until the second half.Eventually the hosts' quality told at the partially-reopened Camp Nou and after Olmo opened the scoring Barca never looked back.The pick of the goals was Yamal's strike, an impressive volley from Olmo's cross to secure Barca's triumph."I know we didn't play on our highest level in the first half... but the team has done a fantastic job in the last few weeks, months," Flick told DAZN.The coach praised Yamal for his hard work in terms of pressing and also hailed his fine strike."It was great... I'm happy that he scored such a (good) goal, and the third goal for us was really important," added Flick.Barca struggled to make inroads in a dry first half and their passing was unusually imprecise.Injured midfield maestro Pedri Gonzalez watched on from the stands with an unimpressed expression.Oviedo sought to attack on the counter and Haissem Hassan drew a save from Joan Garcia from long distance.At the other end, Aaron Escandell made a fine stop at his near post to thwart Raphinha before half-time.Barca came out with renewed energy for the second half and soon took the lead.After Yamal and Raphinha pressed in the box the ball broke loose to Olmo, who steered home.Oviedo gave away a poor second goal after 57 minutes, with Raphinha running on to an undercooked back-pass from David Costas and lofting the ball over Escandell.Barcelona's third was expertly taken by Yamal, as Olmo's cross was falling behind him he produced an eye-catching sideways scissor-kick to wrap up the victory.A huge downpour hit the stadium, sending fans scurrying as there is no roof yet, and those who remained saw Escandell deny Robert Lewandowski a potential fourth with a fine save."I think we were not at our best in the first half, (but) in the second we could score the goals and that is the most important thing," said Raphinha. 

A record 97 million foreign tourists visited Spain in 2025 as the economically vital sector set a new benchmark for the second year running, the tourism minister said Thursday.The first estimation represented a 3.5-percent increase on the 2024 figure of 94mn, while spending climbed 6.8 percent to 135bn euros ($157bn), Jordi Hereu told a press conference in Madrid."This is a collective success by the whole country that perfectly demonstrates Spain's enormous attractivity, because Spain is a country that seduces the world," he said.Most visitors are European, with British, German and French holidaymakers accounting for around half of the arrivals, said Pedro Aznar, a professor at Esade business school.Like southern European neighbour Portugal, and Greece, Spain has rebounded from harsh austerity measures and heavy debt in the early 2010s, with a tourism rebound following the Covid-19 pandemic playing an important role.Tourism represents around 13 percent of the economy in the world's second most-visited country after France, whose dynamic growth has outstripped EU peers.The Bank of Spain has predicted growth of 2.9 percent in 2025 for the European Union's fourth-largest economy, more than double the average expected in the eurozone.Overtourism backlashBut as elsewhere, a backlash against the social and economic consequences of mass tourism is growing as Spain grapples with a persistent housing crisis.Locals have protested in their thousands, complaining that surging visitor numbers are changing the fabric of their neighbourhoods, particularly in hotspots including Barcelona, the southern region of Andalusia and the Canary and Balearic Islands.Although the sector's growth generates wealth and jobs, the high numbers have "a clear impact on residents" in specific destinations as tourist accommodation "offers higher profitability", Aznar told AFP.Barcelona and the popular southern coastal city of Malaga have announced measures to clamp down on short-term tourist rentals in a bid to tame popular discontent at rampant housing prices.The leftist government, under pressure to find a solution to one of the population's main concerns, has ordered online holiday accommodation giants Airbnb and Booking.com to take down tens of thousands of adverts deemed to have breached the regulations for short-term rentals."The impact on environmental sustainability is also relevant," Aznar said, in a country that suffers persistent water supply stress and emerged from a years-long drought in 2025. 

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick commended Raphinha's mindset after the forward struck twice to help his team beat Real Madrid and retain the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.The Brazilian winger has seven goals in his last five matches, including a brace in the 3-2 win over Los Blancos in Saudi Arabia. Raphinha was out injured for around two months as Barca's form dipped in October and November, but has come back strongly. "His mentality is unbelievable, his dynamic affects the whole team," Flick told reporters.Raphinha missed a fine chance in the first half but almost immediately fired Barca into the lead in Jeddah. Then with the score tied at 2-2, the 29-year-old struck the winner from outside the area, with the help of a deflection."He missed the first chance but the second one, he was there and (scored) the first goal, and it gave the team more confidence," continued Flick. "This is what Raphinha brings on the pitch, it's a lot of intensity and we need this."Barca won the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid last season on their way to claiming a domestic treble. Flick said he hoped the victory would help the La Liga leaders achieve their other ambitions this season."We are in a good mood, we have a lot of confidence now," said Flick, after Barca's 10th consecutive victory across all competitions. "This final was very important for us because against Real Madrid it's always something special. Again we won a final, and this is fantastic."Flick has won all eight finals he has competed in as a coach, including two last season against Madrid. "When we are focused, we concentrate and play like we did today, I have a really good feeling with the team, because it's important," added Flick.The coach brought on defender Ronald Araujo in the final stages, after the Uruguayan took a mental health break of around a month. "To be on the pitch and to win this title means a lot for him," said Flick. "I'm really happy that he's back, and happy that it seems like it's okay – we will support him always." 

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said retaining the Spanish Super Cup this week would be a boost for his team’s other ambitions this season. The record 15-time champions face Athletic Bilbao today in a semi-final clash at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Barca won the competition last season as the first part of a domestic treble, the first triumph of Flick’s reign, followed up by triumphs in La Liga and the Copa del Rey. “This tournament is a little bit different (to the equivalent competition) in Germany, but I like it,” said former Bayern Munich coach Flick. “For us to win the Super Cup (last season) gave us a lot of energy for the rest of the season and this is also what we want this year.” Even though significant questions remain around their defending, Barcelona are favourites to win the Super Cup and lead La Liga after nine consecutive top flight victories. Despite being outplayed by neighbours Espanyol in a tense derby clash on Saturday, late goals and a sensational performance from stopper Joan Garcia helped the Catalans claim a 2-0 victory. Flick insisted his team had to perform better at the back if they are to succeed in the sixth edition of the tournament held in Saudi Arabia. “It will not be an easy match (if) we make the same mistakes as on Saturday, it will not be easy, so we have to work on our things,” continued Flick. “We have to play much better in the defence, we have to play connected as one team, and this is what I missed on Saturday, so we have to make things much better.”Central defender Ronald Araujo could return to action this week after an extended mental health break. The Uruguayan was granted leave for around a month following a red card in Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League defeat by Chelsea in November. “We will see this training (session) today and I will also want to speak with him, so we have not decided how to do it tomorrow,” said Flick. “I think it takes time, so if he feels ready for tomorrow maybe we will change something, but at the moment it’s not our plan to do this.” Flick confirmed Barcelona are close to signing Joao Cancelo from Al Hilal on loan until the end of the season, but the deal has not been completed. “With Joao maybe he can give us more options also as full-back, both sides in the offence, good quality, but (as far as) I know, it’s not done,” said Flick. Cancelo spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Barcelona from Manchester City. Athletic, eighth in La Liga, last won the Super Cup in 2021, beating Barcelona in the final, and have lifted the trophy on three occasions. Only the Catalans and Real Madrid, on 13 triumphs, have a better record. “It’s widely expected that the final will be Barca against Madrid, but a lot can happen in 90 minutes, and we have to go out there and capitalise on that,” said Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde. “Our intention is to take advantage of any opportunity we get. We know the difficulties and the opponent we’re facing, we have to try to overcome them, and that’s about it.” Real Madrid’s Mbappe to miss Spanish Super CupReal Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe will miss the Spanish Super Cup this week as he recovers from a knee sprain. The Spanish giants did not name the French superstar, the team’s top goalscorer, in their squad for the tournament. Mbappe was diagnosed with the issue last week and a source close to the 27-year-old said he would likely be sidelined for at least three weeks. Xabi Alonso’s side face city rivals Atletico Madrid tomorrow in the semi-finals. The Spanish coach is under pressure after a disappointing start to the season, with his team trailing champions Barca by four points in La Liga. 

Real Madrid Wednesday said that Kylian Mbappe had suffered a knee sprain, delivering a blow to their bid to reel in Liga leaders Barcelona."After the tests carried out today on our player Kylian Mbappe by Real Madrid's medical services, he was diagnosed with a sprain in his left knee. Awaiting evolution," the club said in a statement.Real Madrid did not indicate how long the 27-year-old striker would be out for, but a source close to the France superstar told AFP that he would be absent for at least three weeks.Mbappe, the leading scorer in La Liga this season with 18 goals, is therefore a major doubt for Sunday's league match at home to Real Betis, Los Merengues' first after the winter break as they trail Barcelona by four points.He could also miss the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against arch-rivals Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia on January 8, as well as a league fixture against Levante and a Champions League clash with former club Monaco.Real did not say when or how Mbappe was injured, however he had trained with the team on Tuesday.He underwent an MRI scan on Wednesday.Mbappe has enjoyed a stellar 2025, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo's club record 59 goals in a calendar year, and has at times carried Real Madrid, relieving some pressure on under-fire coach Xabi Alonso.He has scored 73 goals in 83 matches for Real since making a free transfer move to the Spanish giants from Paris Saint-Germain 18 months ago.He finished top scorer in La Liga last season with 31 goals - four more than Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski - and is currently seven goals clear of the next best this season, Barca's Ferran Torres.His absence adds to those of Real defenders Daniel Carvajal, Eder Militao, Trent Alexander-Arnold, midfielder Federico Valverde, and forward Brahim Diaz who is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco. 

France and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembele won the men's FIFA Best award at a ceremony in Qatar Tuesday, while Barcelona midfield maestro Aitana Bonmati collected the women's prize.Dembele, 28, won the Ballon d'Or in September, rewarding an exceptional season with PSG, which included the Ligue 1 club's first Champions League title."I wanted to thank my teammates. Hard work pays off, it's been a fantastic year for me, both individually and collectively," said Dembele after the ceremony.PSG's Spanish coach Luis Enrique was named best coach of a men's team.Bonmati, 27, was crowned women's player of the year for the third time in a row, after also picking up her third consecutive Ballon d'Or in the autumn."I am grateful to have the honour," she said.**media[394469]**She is currently out of action after fracturing her leg in training on the eve of Spain's successful Nations League final second leg win over Germany.England manager Sarina Wiegman picked up the award for coaching a women's side after she won a third consecutive Euros title in the summer.In the goalkeeping category, Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma, who joined Manchester City after winning the Champions League with PSG, picked up the men's award, while Chelsea's Euro 2025 winner Hannah Hampton won the trophy in the women's category.Santiago Montiel won the coveted Puskas award for best goal of the year.Lizbeth Ovalle's scorpion kick for Tigres against Guadalajara in a Mexican league match won the Marta award.FIFA President Gianni Infantino thanked the Qatar Football Association (QFA) in appreciation of its efforts in hosting the FIFA Standing Committees, in the presence of representatives from international football federations. Infantino honoured QFA President Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain on the sidelines of the FIFA Standing Committees meeting held in Doha Tuesday. The FIFA’s Standing Committees meetings featured a distinguished Qatari presence alongside officials from international football federations during one of FIFA’s most important annual gatherings.

Robert Lewandowski hit a hat-trick to help Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 4-2 on Sunday in La Liga and cut Real Madrid’s lead down to three points.The veteran Polish striker’s treble helped Hansi Flick’s side capitalise on Los Blancos’ 0-0 draw earlier on at Rayo Vallecano.Teenager Lamine Yamal also scored for Barca in another gripping game produced by the champions’ attacking approach, and Marcus Rashford produced two more assists. Frenkie de Jong was sent off late on for Barca for two yellow cards but by then the champions had secured their victory to move second. Lewandowski has had a stop-start beginning of the season because of injury and Flick said his hat-trick would boost his confidence.“After the injury I can see a different Robert Lewandowski, he’s positive, he came back very early,” Flick told reporters. “For him, for his confidence, it’s great to score three goals today.”Lewandowski said the game was “one of the craziest” of the season, but was happy with the result. “Vigo is always difficult for us but now we have less points (between us) and Real Madrid,” Lewandowski told Movistar.Flick insisted Barcelona would not change their style despite some recent struggles, including a 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, and it led to a wild first half.The champions nosed ahead through a Lewandowski penalty on 10 minutes after a handball but Celta equalised a minute later.Rashford missed a one-on-one chance and Celta broke away to score, with Sergio Carreira scampering behind Barca’s high defensive line. Missing several injured stars Flick had called on his team to show more fight in their absence and they were more energised at Balaidos. Looking back to his best, Lewandowski grabbed his second from an inviting Rashford cross to put Barca back in front on 37 minutes. Celta quickly hit back again, this time through Borja Iglesias, who smashed home from the edge of the box. However, Barca went in with the lead when Rashford’s deflected cross found teenage star Yamal, who beat Ionut Radu at his near post. Both teams were more stable in the second half, with Barca dominating and Celta forced to sit back. Lewandowski completed his hat-trick with a header from Rashford’s corner after 73 minutes to wrap up the win. It was the striker’s seventh league goal of the season in just four starts, showing his finishing quality has not diminished at the age of 37.“We have two weeks to disconnect now but I hope when we come back we play a lot better, it’s the perfect moment to change things that aren’t working,” said Lewandowski. “Flick asked if I needed a rest and I said no... I felt very good physically today and I’m very happy.”

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr issued a public apology after his angry reaction to being substituted during Sunday's heated 2-1 El Clasico victory over Barcelona had him storm straight to the changing rooms.The Brazilian was withdrawn in the 71st minute and replaced by compatriot Rodrygo, despite having played a key part in the winning goal and running Barcelona's right back Jules Kounde ragged during the fiery encounter.Vinicius made his displeasure known to manager Xabi Alonso before heading directly to the dressing room, casting a shadow over what should have been a celebratory moment as Real ended a four-game losing streak against their bitter rivals.While Vinicius revealed he had personally apologised to his teammates and club president Florentino Perez, notably absent from his statement was any mention of Alonso. "Today I want to apologise to all Real Madrid fans for my reaction when I was substituted in El Clasico," Vinicius said via his social media accounts. "As I have already done in person during today's training session, I also want to apologise again to my teammates, the club and the president."The 25-year-old attributed his outburst to his competitive drive, explaining: "Sometimes my passion gets the better of me because I always want to win and help my team. My competitive nature stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents."Vinicius has had a testy relationship with Alonso since he took over as manager in May. Alonso has substituted him in most games this season even though Vinicius has been linking up well with forward Kylian Mbappe.But even after storming off the pitch, his part in a testy match was not over. He reemerged just before the final whistle after Pedri was sent off and a fight broke out between the teams. He had to be shepherded away from the scene as he argued with Barca players.Real have 27 points at the top of the La Liga standings, five ahead of Barcelona in second.

Jude Bellingham's goal helped Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 to win a tense Clasico and move five points clear of their bitter rivals at the top of La Liga on Sunday.Champions Barcelona won all four times the teams were pitted against each other last season but in his first Clasico as Real Madrid coach, Xabi Alonso snapped that run.Kylian Mbappe, who later missed a penalty, fired Madrid in front and although Fermin Lopez levelled for the visitors at the Santiago Bernabeu, Bellingham netted a second for the hosts before half-time which proved decisive.Barca playmaker Pedri was sent off in the final stages for a second yellow card as tensions spilled over in the Spanish capital.Madrid's victory means they have won nine of their opening 10 league games and Alonso's side proved against Barca they can triumph on the big occasion, following their derby humbling by Atletico Madrid in September.Hansi Flick's team were led on the touchline by his assistant Marcus Sorg, as the German coach was suspended following a red card last weekend as they scraped a victory over relegation-battling Girona.Barcelona were without several regular starters, including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo among others, while Lamine Yamal still does not appear fully fit after a groin injury but started.The teenager wound up Madrid fans in the week by claiming Los Blancos "steal" and "complain" and his name was greeted with a chorus of jeers when read out before kick-off.Barcelona had more of the ball in the first half but it was largely sterile possession and Madrid created the most dangerous opportunities.The hosts were awarded an early penalty when Yamal appeared to bring down Vinicius Junior. However it was cancelled after a VAR review as it was the Brazilian initiated the contact.Madrid fans' ire at the officials grew when Mbappe blasted home from outside the area but the goal was ruled out for a milimetric offside against the French superstar.Mbappe did not have long to wait before he could celebrate in earnest, after superb work by Bellingham sent him through on goal.The forward, the division's top goalscorer, netted his 11th league goal of the campaign with a lethal low finish past Wojciech Szczesny.The goalkeeper made a good save from Dean Huijsen while Bellingham and Fede Valverde went close as Madrid took control.Szczesny stopped efforts from Vinicius and Bellingham again, and it was against the run of play when Barcelona equalised.Arda Guler gave away possession in a dangerous area and Marcus Rashford, playing in his first Clasico, crossed for Lopez to blast the visitors level in the 38th minute.Bellingham struck Madrid's second five minutes later to give Los Blancos a deserved advantage at the interval.The England international, who scored his first goal at the Bernabeu since April in midweek against Juventus, gleefully tapped home after Eder Militao nodded Vinicius's cross back into his path.Mbappe penalty savedMadrid should have extended their lead at the start of the second half but Szczesny made a fine save to push out Mbappe's penalty, after Eric Garcia was penalised for handball.Yamal, frustrated and struggling to make an impact on the game, sent a long-range shot high over the bar as Madrid closed ranks and kept the Catalans at a safe distance from their goal.Madrid looked the more threatening in the final stages despite Barca needing to score, able to bring on Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz, while Barca had little in the way of attacking reinforcements.Sorg sent defender Ronald Araujo up front during nine minutes of stoppage time after he netted the winner as a makeshift striker against Girona, but the centre-back could not trouble Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.Pedri was sent off in the final seconds for a second yellow card for a late foul on Aurelien Tchouameni, sparking a brief sideline shoving match, while players from both sides rowed after the final whistle.

Fermin Lopez bagged a hat-trick and Marcus Rashford struck twice for Barcelona in a 6-1 demolition of Olympiacos to get the Catalan giants back on track in the Champions League.Teenage star Lamine Yamal was also on target for Hansi Flick's side, who lost against holders Paris Saint-Germain in their previous European outing in the league phase. After a Lopez double, Ayoub El Kaabi pulled one back from the penalty spot for the Greek champions, but Santiago Hezze's red card allowed injury-hit Barcelona to rack up a big scoreline and go provisionally third.Flick was without Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and several other regulars, but his team were able to build some confidence at the Olympic stadium ahead of the Clasico against Real Madrid on Sunday in La Liga. "I'm very happy, we needed a win like that, we ended it feeling good and now to think about the Clasico," Lopez said after his treble. "I'm grateful to the team and want to continue in this dynamic."Barcelona only just scraped a win over Girona on Saturday in a tight Catalan derby, and almost fell behind right at the start against the Greeks. Alejandro Balde gave the ball away and veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had to get down well to deny Daniel Podence.Balde quickly made amends in attack as his driving runs helped Barca carve open the visitors. Rashford volleyed narrowly over after 17-year-old playmaker Dro Fernandez and Balde connected on the left. Balde was involved again as Barca took an early lead, feeding Lopez, who played in Yamal.Olympiacos goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis got down well to dispossess the teenage winger, but Lopez was on hand to bundle home the loose ball. Rashford drilled a free-kick into the side-netting as Barca controlled the game, although they lacked focus in defence, which has been a consistent problem this season. With Sunday's Clasico beckoning, their lapses in concentration are a worry.Lopez netted his second after 39 minutes, having been played in by Dro on his Champions League debut. The midfielder almost scored his hat-trick early in the second half but Tzolakis tipped his header around the post from Yamal's cross. Olympiacos pulled their way back into the game through Moroccan striker El Kaabi.The forward got between Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia to head home, and although the goal was disallowed for offside, Olympiacos were then awarded a penalty for handball by Garcia. El Kaabi slotted past Szczesny to give his team a lifeline, but minutes later their chances faded.Barca's Marc Casado slumped to the ground after a seemingly innocuous contact with Hezze, who was harshly shown a second yellow card. Rashford won a penalty after tumbling under Tzolakis's challenge, and Yamal sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to extend Barca's lead after 68 minutes.In fine form during his loan from Manchester United, Rashford netted two goals in six minutes, either side of Lopez's third as the Catalans ran amok. Rashford twice beat Tzolakis with clinical low near-post finishes to reach four goals in the Champions League this season after his brace in their win at Newcastle.