Barcelona Stay Perfect After Thrash Racing 7-2 as Joan Garcia Injury Casts Doubt Over Sevilla Clash
Barcelona extended their perfect start to the 2026/27 season with a commanding 7-2 victory over Racing Santander on Wednesday, but the emphatic result was tempered by a knee concern for goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Hansi Flick’s side produced another spectacular attacking display at Spotify Camp Nou, recording a seventh consecutive victory in all competitions and setting a new club record for the best start to a season.
The victory also kept Barcelona perfect in La Liga, with six wins from six league matches as the Catalan giants continued their remarkable scoring form.
However, the mood was briefly dampened shortly before half-time when Garcia appeared to suffer a knee problem after slipping behind his goal.
The goalkeeper was unable to continue and was replaced by Wojciech Szczęsny for the second half.
Flick awaits Garcia medical assessment
Speaking after the match, Flick confirmed that Garcia had experienced discomfort in his knee but stopped short of giving a definitive diagnosis.
The Barcelona coach indicated that further tests would be required to determine the seriousness of the problem and whether the goalkeeper will be available for Saturday’s league meeting with Sevilla.
Garcia’s situation will therefore be closely monitored in the coming days, particularly with Barcelona facing another demanding league fixture at the weekend.
Szczęsny, who came on for the second half, endured an uncomfortable introduction when his mistake contributed to Racing’s second goal. Flick, however, played down the incident.
“It’s normal to make mistakes. I’m not worried about Szczęsny’s mistake. This is football,” the German coach said after the match.
Raphinha leads another attacking masterclass
The injury concern was overshadowed on the pitch by another outstanding Barcelona attacking performance.
João Cancelo opened the scoring after eight minutes before Raphinha converted from the penalty spot to double the advantage.
Racing briefly responded through Maguette Gueye, but Barcelona quickly restored control, with a Cancelo effort taking a deflection off Asier Villalibre and going down as an own goal.
Raphinha then struck again before the interval to put Barcelona 4-1 ahead.
The Brazilian completed his hat-trick in the second half with another penalty, taking his league tally to nine goals after six matches.
Gabriel Jesus added Barcelona’s sixth before Lamine Yamal completed the scoring late in the game following an impressive run from Karim Adeyemi.
Racing had earlier reduced the deficit through Yassir Zabiri, but Barcelona remained firmly in control throughout the contest.
Barcelona 7-2 Racing Santander — Goals
- Barcelona: João Cancelo 8′, Raphinha 25′ (pen), Asier Villalibre OG 36′, Raphinha 42′, 67′ (pen), Gabriel Jesus 79′, Lamine Yamal 89′
- Racing Santander: Maguette Gueye 30′, Yassir Zabiri 65′
Seven wins from seven
The victory represents more than another three points for Flick’s team.
Barcelona have now won all seven of their competitive matches at the start of the campaign — six in La Liga and one in the UEFA Champions League — establishing a new club record for their best-ever start to a season.
Their run began with a 5-0 victory over Elche, followed by wins against Athletic Club, Rayo Vallecano, Valencia, Feyenoord, Levante and now Racing Santander.
Barcelona have also maintained an extraordinary attacking output, with the club’s official match report putting their tally at 32 goals across those opening seven victories.
Flick, however, insisted there is no room for complacency.
“It’s always good to start well, but what matters is how you finish,” the Barcelona coach said, while praising the team’s intensity, collective pressing and work rate.
Sevilla next for Barcelona
Attention now turns to Saturday’s trip to Sevilla, where Barcelona will attempt to extend their perfect league record.
For Flick, the immediate priority will be determining the extent of Garcia’s knee problem before deciding whether the goalkeeper can feature.
Barcelona’s attacking numbers continue to dominate the headlines, but the fitness of their first-choice goalkeeper could become the major talking point ahead of the next test.
Results at a glance
Barcelona 7-2 Racing Santander
Atletico Madrid 4-0 Osasuna
Deportivo 0-1 Sevilla
Barcelona remain perfect in La Liga after six matches, while their seven-game winning streak across all competitions has established a new club record.
