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Barcelona breeze past Rayo but all eyes in Spain remain on Julián Álvarez

Hansi Flick is very happy to welcome Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona. But Julián Álvarez remains the ultimate prize

If Raphinha has any misgivings about playing as a makeshift No 9 for Barcelona, he is doing a good job of hiding it. Julián Álvarez would have been proud of the Brazilian’s two neat finishes that inspired the Spanish champions to a 5-2 victory against Rayo Vallecano on Monday night, 24 hours before the transfer deadline. Lamine Yamal scored two wonderful goals of his own in a performance that reassured everyone he is back to his best. Add Anthony Gordon to the mix – impressive again in his link-up play – and you have a fluid, fearsome front three.

Yet after the departures of Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford this summer, there is no doubt Barcelona not only still want a centre-forward but require one – at least one. Hansi Flick was very happy to see Gabriel Jesus, an £8.6m arrival from Arsenal, in the stands. “He’s a top striker,” the coach said. But Atlético Madrid’s Álvarez is the ultimate prize.

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© Photograph: Lluís Gené/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Lluís Gené/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Lluís Gené/AFP/Getty Images

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European football: Bellingham sparks Real Madrid’s cruise to maintain perfect start

  • Promoted Málaga slump to 4-0 defeat at the Bernabéu

  • Como defeat Napoli; Jones makes Inter debut in win

Real Madrid maintained their perfect start to the season in La Liga with a comfortable 4-0 home ⁠win over promoted Málaga on Sunday, scoring three times inside 30 minutes before adding a late fourth.

Jude Bellingham’s brilliant solo opener, an own ⁠goal by the Málaga goalkeeper, ⁠Alfonso Herrero, and ​a sharp Kylian Mbappé volley in effect settled the contest before half-time, with the substitute Arda Guler wrapping up the victory in added time at ⁠the Bernabéu.

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© Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

© Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

© Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters

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European football: PSG scramble another draw while Bayern make flying start

  • Marquinhos grabs late equaliser for Ligue 1 champions

  • Bayern overwhelm Stuttgart 5-1 at Allianz Arena

Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos scored deep into stoppage ⁠time to snatch a scarcely deserved 2-2 draw at Lille on Friday as the Ligue 1 champions ⁠continued to struggle ⁠after ​being held by Rennes on the opening weekend.

After the poor 2-2 draw ‌against Rennes, things went from bad to worse for PSG when Lille took the lead in the 21st minute as Icelandic playmaker Hákon Haraldsson latched on to a brilliant reverse pass from Olivier Giroud and curled an unstoppable shot past ‌Matvei Safonov.

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© Photograph: Abdul Saboor/Reuters

© Photograph: Abdul Saboor/Reuters

© Photograph: Abdul Saboor/Reuters

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