On September 22, 2024, Barcelona opened their La Liga season in style with a 5-1 victory over Villarreal at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Despite the impressive scoreline, the match saw Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen be stretchered off in the second half with a knee injury, overshadowing the team's performance.

Barcelona started strongly with Robert Lewandowski and Rafinha leading the attack. Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a precise assist from Pablo Torre. The Polish striker doubled his tally with a rebound late in the first half, earning his sixth goal of the season. However, Villarreal briefly revived the home team's hopes just before halftime when Ayoze Pérez scored from a pass by Nicolas Pepe.

Barcelona regained control in the second half despite periods of Villarreal pressure, when Pepe had a goal ruled out for offside and Jeremi Pino's goal hit the crossbar and narrowly missed. Pablo Torre added a third for Barcelona with a deflected shot, and Lewandowski missed a penalty shortly after, but the visitors continued to dominate.

Rafinha rounded off the scoring with two late goals, thanks to a deflection and a fine assist from teenager Lamine Yamal. This all-around performance extended Barcelona's unbeaten league run to six wins from six games and keeps them four points ahead of rivals Real Madrid at the top of the table.

Despite the victory, Ter Stegen's injury absence is a major concern for coach Hansi Flick, who admitted the goalkeeper could face a long-term absence. His absence could have a major impact on the defense as Barcelona look to maintain their early momentum in the title race.