Barcelona are in the form of their lives. Hansi Flick's side have won all five competitive fixtures this season, scoring 24 goals in the process, and their 5-1 dismantling of Feyenoord in the Champions League opener announced their continental ambitions with real force. Lamine Yamal was the night's standout performer, breaking Kylian Mbappe's Champions League record and earning a perfect 10 rating, while Raphinha scored and Gabriel Jesus marked his Camp Nou debut with a late goal off the bench.

Flick has been the architect of a tactical setup that opponents are struggling to handle. Cesc Fabregas, preparing to face Barcelona with Como, described the side as "frightening" and admitted they make opponents look bad. That kind of external recognition reflects how convincingly the Blaugrana have controlled matches, with 72% possession and nearly 800 passes against Feyenoord alone.

Yet Flick himself is refusing to let the momentum breed complacency. Ahead of Sunday's La Liga trip to Levante, the German coach issued a pointed warning to his squad that things can change fast if concentration drops. Barcelona top the table with 12 points from four games, but Flick's message is clear: the standards must hold.

Off the pitch, sporting director Deco addressed the club's failed pursuit of Julian Alvarez and explained the decision to sign Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford, adding further clarity to a summer that reshaped the squad around Flick's specific demands.