Barcelona are in the form of their lives. Hansi Flick's side dismantled Feyenoord 5-1 at Spotify Camp Nou to open their Champions League campaign, a result that underlined just how far this team has come in a short time. Lamine Yamal was the standout performer, breaking a Champions League record previously held by Kylian Mbappe, while Raphinha scored twice as a makeshift centre-forward and Gabriel Jesus marked his home debut with a goal off the bench. Flick's tactical setup, built around inverted full-backs and relentless verticality, gave Feyenoord no answers.

The European statement arrived on the back of a perfect domestic start. Barcelona have won all four of their La Liga fixtures, scoring 17 goals in the process, and sit top of the table with 12 points. That run includes a 5-0 demolition of Valencia at Mestalla, a result that prompted Rodri to make disparaging remarks about the opposition that were caught on camera, leading to a public apology from the midfielder.

Off the pitch, sporting director Deco addressed the summer's unfinished business, explaining why the club chose Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford and defending Barcelona's conduct in their failed pursuit of Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid. Flick, meanwhile, has publicly backed Yamal for the Ballon d'Or. The next test comes on September 13, when Barcelona travel to Levante in La Liga.