Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

With Robert Lewandowski on target again, Barcelona extended its perfect start to the Spanish league season.
Lewandowski scored his seventh goal in as many matches and Barcelona won its seventh in a row in the league by defeating Getafe 1-0 at home on Wednesday.
The triumph gives Barcelona its second-best league start ever, equaling the seven victories it also earned at the start of the 2017-18 season. The Catalan club won eight straight to start the 2013-14 season, The Associated Press reported.
“I'm really proud about my team. They fight 90 minutes or 95 minutes," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. “But also I'm very proud because the fans they realized that we needed them and they give everything. It's a good connection at the moment and I'm really happy about that.”
Barcelona has outscored its opponents 23-5 in its first seven games this season. It has a four-point lead over defending champion Real Madrid, which on Tuesday beat Alaves 3-2.
Lewandowski got his league-leading seventh goal from close range in the 19th minute. He picked up a loose ball inside the area after Getafe goalkeeper David Soria couldn't hold on to a high cross into the area.
The Poland striker, who had scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Villarreal on Sunday, was replaced by Pedri in the 77th.
Lewandowski's goal was Barcelona's 6,500 in 3,035 league matches, according to the club.
Iñaki Peña started in goal in place of Marc-André ter Stegen, who sustained a serious knee injury in the team's previous league match.
Barcelona players entered the field with a T-shirt with words of support for Ter Stegen, who is one of the team's captains.
Getafe, which nearly equalized with Borja Mayoral from close range in stoppage time, remains winless and in second-to-last place.
“That was a big scare, but the ball didn't goal in and we left with the three points,” Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde said.
Also Wednesday, Girona and Rayo Vallecano drew 0-0 in Girona.
Barcelona plays at Osasuna on Saturday. It then visits Alaves the following weekend.



Neymar Available for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal Next Week after Year-Long Recovery from ACL Injury

Tennis - 6 Kings Slam - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 16, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar is pictured at the quarter final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Denmark's Holger Rune. (Reuters)
Tennis - 6 Kings Slam - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 16, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar is pictured at the quarter final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Denmark's Holger Rune. (Reuters)
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Neymar Available for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal Next Week after Year-Long Recovery from ACL Injury

Tennis - 6 Kings Slam - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 16, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar is pictured at the quarter final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Denmark's Holger Rune. (Reuters)
Tennis - 6 Kings Slam - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - October 16, 2024 Al-Hilal's Neymar is pictured at the quarter final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Denmark's Holger Rune. (Reuters)

Neymar is available to play for Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal in an AFC Champions League Elite match next week after one year on the sidelines due to injury.

His marketing company NR Sports said in a statement on Saturday that the Brazilian's love for soccer and his hope to play in the next World Cup were bringing him back to action.

“Though there's no final decision for his return, the number 10 will be able to play on Monday to carry on with his remarkable trajectory,” the statement said, in a reference to Al-Hilal's match against Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates.

Neymar signed for the Riyadh team in August 2023 and played just five games when he underwent surgery after rupturing his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while on international duty in October last year.

“These were days of pain, anguish, and a lot of longing for soccer, which were overcome with the help of family and friends, always present for our number 10. And all the fans around the world who gave him all support in social media networks,” the statement added. “The wait is over.”

A social media posting also published on Saturday showed the 32-year-old speaking about his recovery and displayed footage of his efforts to come back.

“Every time I get injured, I come back. But I don't come back halfway,” a tearful Neymar said in a video.

Neymar returned to training in July, but in September his club coach Jorge Jesus dampened expectations of an immediate comeback. The Portuguese coach did not confirm Neymar will play on Monday.

Neymar, whose two-year contract ends next August, is eligible to appear in AFC Champions League Elite matches as the continental competition has no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed. That is not the case in the Saudi Pro League, which will see him back only in January.

If fit, Neymar could return to Brazil's national team in two rounds of South American World Cup qualifying scheduled for November.