European Club Soccer: The Thunderous Return

After a summer filled with international football and preseason tours, the European club games made a resounding comeback. The Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, and even Ligue 1 all began their campaigns this Saturday, while in Germany the Bundesliga season kick-off is still a week away.

One of the highlights of the grand return was Hansi Flick's first game in charge of Barcelona. Despite having three 17-year-olds in his lineup, it was the veteran striker Robert Lewandowski who ensured the former Bayern Munich coach a winning start at Valencia in LaLiga on a relentless Spanish summer night. 

The game wasn't easy for Flick who replaced Xavi Hernández earlier this summer and had a full list of key players missing for reasons varying from injuries to post-Olympic breaks. But undeterred, Flick stuck with the team that had served him well in preseason and was duly rewarded.

Even though Valencia took an initial lead thanks to Hugo Duro, Barça managed to turn things around, silencing a raucous home crowd with a thrilling 2-1 victory. The first game of the season set a high bar, promising another exciting year of European club soccer.