VIGO, Spain (Interstat) — Robert Lewandowski came off the bench to deliver a stunning hat-trick, powering Barcelona to a 4-2 comeback victory over Celta Vigo in a chaotic and high-scoring La Liga match Sunday at Estadio Abanca Balaídos.

The game, which defied a comfortable pregame projection for Barcelona, was turned on its head by the veteran striker’s second-half introduction. Barcelona, the visiting side, was forced to rally after an early deficit and a halftime deadlock, ultimately pulling away in a match that concluded with a flurry of yellow cards and a late red card for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.

Celta Vigo stunned the visitors early, taking the lead in the 11th minute through defender Sergio Carreira. The home side’s advantage held for more than 25 minutes, but Barcelona found its equalizer in the 37th minute. The goal came from Lewandowski, who had just entered the fray as a substitute, signaling the beginning of his dominant performance.

The momentum was short-lived for Barcelona, however, as Celta Vigo’s Borja Iglesias struck just six minutes later in the 43rd minute to restore the home team’s lead. The first half concluded in a frantic fashion, with Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí receiving a yellow card in the 42nd minute, followed by a crucial goal from another Barcelona substitute, Lamine Yamal, deep into first-half stoppage time. Yamal’s goal in the 45th+4 minute sent the teams into the break level at 2-2.

The second half became the Robert Lewandowski show. The Polish international put Barcelona ahead for the first time in the match with his second goal in the 73rd minute. He then completed his hat-trick to seal the victory for the visitors. He also contributed an assist, finishing with a direct hand in all four of Barcelona’s goals.

The final stages of the match were marred by disciplinary issues. A sequence of five yellow cards was issued between the 79th and 89th minutes, with Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, Marcus Rashford and Lewandowski all being cautioned, alongside Celta Vigo’s Miguel Román. The match reached its contentious peak in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time when de Jong, already on a yellow card, was shown a red card.

The result gives Barcelona a winning start to their La Liga campaign, moving their record to 1 win and 0 losses. Celta Vigo begins its season with a record of 0 wins and 1 loss. The final scoreline exceeded the offensive output predicted by Interstat’s game simulator, which had projected a 2-1 victory for Barcelona. Their ELO system had given Barcelona an 84.80 percent probability of winning the contest.

Beyond Lewandowski’s heroics, key performances included Celta’s Sergio Carreira and Borja Iglesias with a goal each, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal with a critical equalizing goal. Assists were recorded by Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí, Marcus Rashford and Frenkie de Jong, and Celta Vigo’s Miguel Román.