At the Camp Nou, Barcelona’s young talent Fermín Lopez etched his name into the club’s history by matching a feat previously accomplished by the legendary Lionel Messi. The La Masia graduate’s treble, his first in senior football marked only the second time a Barcelona player has achieved a first-half hat-trick in the Champions League, with Messi’s performance against Arsenal in 2010 being the benchmark. Lopez’s heroics, coupled with goals from Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and substitute Lamine Yamal, underscored Barcelona’s attacking prowess under Hansi Flick, who has revitalized the squad since taking the helm in 2024.
Fermin Lopez, the 23-year-old midfielder scored a first-half hat-trick in Barcelona’s 6-1 thrashing of Olympiakos in the UEFA
Champions League, propelling the Blaugrana to a commanding position in their group. Speaking post-match, an elated Lopez beamed, “Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Nothing else. I’m very happy about my first hat-trick in a Barca shirt. It’s a dream come true, and I hope I can score many more.” The victory against Olympiakos, Barcelona’s third in four European matches this season, silenced doubters after a shaky start to their continental campaign.
With an attacking intent from the start, Fermin Lopez opened the scoring in the 12th minute
Olympiakos, buoyed by their domestic form under Jose Luis Mendilibar, arrived with hopes of an upset but were quickly overwhelmed. Fermin Lopez opened the scoring in the 12th minute, latching onto a pinpoint through ball from Pedri to slot past Konstantinos Tzolakis. His second, a curling effort from the edge of the box in the 28th minute, drew gasps as its trajectory reminiscent of Messi’s prime. Completing his hat-trick just before halftime, Lopez pounced on a rebound after Tzolakis parried Raphinha’s fierce drive, sending the Camp Nou into raptures. “It’s hard to describe,” López reportedly admitted. He further said, “When you grow up watching Messi, dreaming of playing here, and then you do something like this, it’s unreal.”
Robert Lewandowski added a fourth early in the second half, heading in Joao Cancelo’s cross, before Raphinha’s 25-yard strike made it 5-0. Olympiakos grabbed a consolation through Giorgos Masouras, exploiting a rare lapse in Barcelona’s high line, but 17-year-old Yamal restored the five-goal cushion with a deft chip in stoppage time. The scoreline could have been even more lopsided, with Gavi striking the post and Tzolakis denying Ansu Fati late on. “We were ruthless,” Flick reportedly said. He further added, “This is the Barcelona we want—hungry, dynamic, and clinical.”
