Barcelona put on a dazzling show as they crushed Real Betis 5-0 on Saturday in La Liga, with new signings Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo scoring their debut goals for the club.
The result sent the Catalans to the top of the table, one point ahead of Real Madrid who play Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Barcelona displayed a fluid and dynamic style of play that was sometimes missing last season, when they won La Liga but fell short in the Champions League. They will hope to carry this momentum into their European opener on Tuesday against Royal Antwerp.
Xavi gave Felix and Cancelo their first opportunities to start for Barcelona and they did not disappoint, as they showed their quality and added a new dimension to the team.
“They are two players who have no doubts about their individual quality,” Xavi said after the game.
“They bring something different that makes the team better. Individual quality is what makes the difference.”
Betis, who had a back line composed entirely of ex-Barcelona players, tried to play positively, unlike many other teams who will visit Barcelona’s temporary home at the Olympic Stadium.
Felix shines as Barcelona dominate
Felix opened the scoring in the 12th minute, when he received a pass from Raphinha and curled a superb shot into the top corner from outside the box. The Portuguese starlet celebrated his first goal for Barcelona with a smile and a hug from his teammates.
Barcelona doubled their lead in the 28th minute, when Robert Lewandowski headed in a cross from Cancelo, who had made a marauding run down the right flank. The Polish striker continued his prolific form, as he scored his sixth goal in four league games this season.
Ferran Torres made it 3-0 in the 38th minute, when he tapped in a rebound after Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo had parried a shot from Lewandowski. The Spanish winger, who joined Barcelona from Manchester City this summer, scored his third goal for his new club.
Raphinha added a fourth goal in the 54th minute, when he finished off a brilliant team move that involved Felix, Lewandowski and Torres. The Brazilian winger, who also arrived from Manchester City, showed his pace and skill as he dribbled past two defenders and slotted the ball past Bravo.
Cancelo completed the rout in the 72nd minute, when he unleashed a powerful strike from 25 yards that flew into the net. The Portuguese defender, who was signed from Juventus, celebrated his first goal for Barcelona with a fist pump and a roar.
Atletico suffer heavy defeat at Valencia
Earlier on Saturday, Atletico Madrid suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss at Valencia, with coach Diego Simeone admitting it was the “weakest” performance during his time at the club. Valencia scored three goals in the first half through Carlos Soler, Goncalo Guedes and Maxi Gomez, as they exposed Atletico’s defensive frailties.
Atletico failed to create any clear chances and looked disjointed and lethargic throughout the game. Simeone said he took full responsibility for the defeat and vowed to improve his team’s performance.
“It was our weakest game since I’ve been here,” Simeone said.
“We have to work hard to correct our mistakes and find solutions. We have to be self-critical and improve.”
The defeat left Atletico in sixth place in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona and three behind Real Madrid.
