The China Mail - Barca hit Racing for seven as Atletico crush Osasuna

Atletico Madrid thrashed Osasuna 4-0 to build form and confidence ahead of Sunday's derby clash against Real Madrid.

Levante's match against Athletic Bilbao was postponed shortly before it was due to kick off because of heavy rain and a waterlogged pitch in Valencia.

On Tuesday Real Madrid had pulled level with Barcelona after a 3-2 win at Elche, but the Catalans reestablished their three-point advantage with an avalanche of goals against Racing, 10th.

As well as Raphinha's treble, Joao Cancelo, Gabriel Jesus and Lamine Yamal also scored for the unstoppable Catalan giants, who have netted 33 goals in seven games across all competitions.

"For me the most important thing is that we are always focused, with every pass. It's like conversation, a good conversation," Barca coach Hansi Flick told DAZN.

Despite their superb start, Raphinha said he still wanted more from himself and his team-mates.

"It's always important to think you need to improve in some way," Raphinha told DAZN.

"So I'll never tell you I'm at my best level, because... I always try to improve as much as I can, and give more to the team than I am given."

With lightning flashing above Camp Nou Barca took the lead with a thunderbolt from Cancelo, before Raphinha won and converted a penalty for Barca's second.

Racing Santander pulled one back when Maguette Gueye barged his way through and produced a neat finish to beat Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

However it proved only brief respite for the visitors, with Cancelo provoking the third with another long-range effort which deflected in off Asier Villalibre.

Raphinha, thriving playing as Barca's centre-forward, bagged Barca's fourth after he was played in on goal by Dani Olmo.

Teenage star Yamal should have added a fifth after the electric Karim Adeyemi was brought down in the box, but Julen Agirrezabala saved his penalty.

Barca reserve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny replaced Garcia at half-time after the Spain international appeared to hurt himself while slipping on the wet pitch as he went to get the ball.

Flick said the goalkeeper had "some problems" with his knee but hoped he would be ready to play at the weekend.

Yamal hit the post and later had a goal ruled out for offside as the rain lashed down in the second half.

Yassir Zabiri pulled another back for Racing after a dreadful error from Szczesny, who tried and failed to dribble the ball, losing it right in front of his goal.

Barcelona's fifth arrived almost immediately with another penalty after Adeyemi was brought down.

Raphinha completed his hat-trick from the spot for his ninth league goal, extending his lead as the league's top goalscorer.

He was replaced by his compatriot Gabriel Jesus, who added the sixth with a sharp finish into the top corner after being played in by Yamal, who netted the seventh after Adeyemi set him up.

- Atletico cruise -

Atletico Madrid thrashed Osasuna to move third and claim their second straight victory.

Jonathan David, Lee Kang-in, Robin Le Normand and Alex Baena's goals helped Diego Simeone's side cruise to a comfortable home win.

They were without injured striker Julian Alvarez but it did not matter after they secured a second straight win to cut the gap on top two.

Canada international David fired Atletico ahead midway through the first half after his first effort was saved.

Baena whistled a shot from distance narrowly wide as Atletico hunted for a second goal.

It came early in the second half, with David teeing up Lee to drill into the bottom corner. Le Normand claimed Atletico's third in the 63rd minute with an emphatic finish after a corner was cleared into his path.

Johnny Cardoso created the fourth for Baena with a perfect pass for the playmaker to sweep home to finish the rout.

"We controlled it in the first half even though we weren't clinical," said Simeone. "We were clinical in the second half and controlled the game."

Sevilla rose to fourth, level on 13 points with Atletico, with a 1-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna.

E.Lau--ThChM