Fermin Lopez delivered a superb performance with three goals as Barcelona swept aside Olympiacos in the Champions League. Marcus Rashford also continued his strong form in Europe, taking his tally to four goals in three matches.
Lopez opened the scoring after just seven minutes, reacting quickest when goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis failed to hold on to Lamine Yamal’s shot. The midfielder added his second before the interval, meeting a precise pass from Dro Fernandez and bending the ball into the corner with his left foot.
Olympiacos briefly threatened after the break when Ayoub El Kaabi’s header was ruled out for offside before referee Urs Schnyder awarded a penalty for handball by Eric Garcia. El Kaabi converted from the spot, but moments later teammate Santiago Hezze was dismissed for a second yellow card after catching Marc Casado.
Rashford’s impact and Yamal’s milestone
Barcelona quickly reasserted control. Rashford won a penalty after being tripped by Tzolakis while attempting to round the keeper, allowing Yamal to score from the spot. The goal marked Yamal’s 25th Champions League appearance — making him the youngest player ever to reach that milestone at 18 years and 100 days.
The home side’s hunger for goals did not fade. Rashford fired in Barcelona’s fourth with a low strike before Lopez completed his treble from distance, becoming the first Spanish player to record a Champions League hat-trick for the club. Rashford then added his second, controlling a long pass expertly before finishing firmly.
Barcelona’s six-goal triumph was their biggest in the competition since their famous 6-1 comeback win against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. The victory leaves them on six points from three games, having earlier beaten Newcastle and lost to PSG. Olympiacos remain on one point and have now lost 12 consecutive away fixtures in the tournament.
Fernandez impresses on debut
Seventeen-year-old Dro Fernandez made his European debut and provided the assist for Lopez’s second goal. The young forward, promoted from Barcelona’s La Masia academy, displayed composure beyond his years.
With several senior attackers — including Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Dani Olmo — out injured, head coach Hansi Flick turned to youth once again. Seven academy graduates started the match, underlining both the depth of La Masia’s talent and the team’s current injury situation.
Born in Nigrán, Galicia, Fernández joined Barcelona from Val Minor Nigrán in 2022 and has since advanced rapidly through the youth levels. He has represented Spain at the youth level and also has Filipino roots through his mother.
“The connection between our academy players is special,” said Flick. “They’ve grown up playing together, understand each other perfectly, and now they’re showing that on the biggest stage. The experienced players respect that bond enormously.”
