Barcelona are flying. A commanding 5-1 victory over Feyenoord at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday night launched their Champions League campaign in emphatic style, with Lamine Yamal shattering a European record previously held by Kylian Mbappe to cap a performance that underlined just how dangerous Hansi Flick's side can be this season.

The result was no accident. Barcelona have won all four of their La Liga matches, sit top of the table with 12 points, and have scored 17 league goals already, including a 5-0 demolition of Valencia at Mestalla. The attacking output across all competitions points to a team operating with real conviction, and the return of Rodri from his summer move has given the midfield an authority it previously lacked. Liga president Javier Tebas described the midfielder as the best-performing player in world football, and his display against Feyenoord did little to contradict that view.

Off the pitch, Barcelona are managing the noise around Jose Mourinho's return to Real Madrid with deliberate calm. The club has instructed Flick to avoid being drawn into any media confrontation, while president Joan Laporta has similarly refused to engage with Mourinho's early complaints about refereeing. The focus at Camp Nou remains firmly internal. New arrival Gabriel Jesus, who scored as a substitute against Feyenoord, brought fresh headlines after publicly criticising Arsenal's handling of his departure, but his impact on the pitch was a timely reminder of the squad depth Flick now possesses. Barcelona travel to Levante on September 13 looking to extend their perfect league start.