Barcelona rolled on under Hansi Flick, sealing a fifth straight league win by beating Levante 4-2 at the Ciutat de Valencia. The German's side stayed top of the table and set off in pursuit of one of the club's historic records.
According to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", Flick wants to repeat what he managed in his first season at Barcelona. Back then he steered the team to seven wins in a row to open the league, matching the best start in the club's history, set by Tata Martino in 2013-2014.
Five consecutive wins is the tally so far this season. The club have pulled it off five other times this century: under Pep Guardiola in 2009-2010, with Tito Vilanova in 2012-2013, then Tata Martino the following season, and under Ernesto Valverde in 2017-2018, on top of Flick's own first campaign.
The numbers go beyond wins. Barcelona have also caught the eye for their firepower across the opening five rounds, hitting 21 goals. That leaves them just two shy of the club's all-time record, set in 1950-1951 under coach Ferdinand Daucik, when the team scored 23 in their first five matches.
That season belonged to the brilliance of legendary forward Cesar Rodriguez. He scored in each of the first five games before ending the campaign with 29 goals in 27 matches.
This time it is Raphinha and Lamine Yamal setting the pace. Each has scored six goals across the opening five rounds.