Spanish champions Barcelona cruised to a 5-0 win over Elche on Sunday in their La Liga opener with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut.
After watching Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid defeat Espanyol 2-1 on Saturday with a late winner, Barca’s display warned the Portuguese coach that the Catalans will not relinquish the title easily.
Karim Adeyemi also found the net on his debut as Barca made light work of a vulnerable Elche side at the Martinez Valero stadium.
Hansi Flick started with several regular starters on the bench as they continue to get up to speed following the World Cup.
Teenage winger Lamine Yamal, a key part of the triumphant Spain squad, did start on the right but was far from his best, although it did not matter given Barca’s otherwise sparkling display.
“This is a difficult place to go and they’re a team that like to have the ball, but we did very well,” Raphinha told Movistar.
Brazil international Raphinha lined up as the team’s number nine, after Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres left the club, and shone.
Barcelona are still looking for a striker after Atletico Madrid rejected their bid to sign Julian Alvarez.
“I’ll leave that to the president,” said Raphinha, when asked if Barca needed to sign a number nine. “I am comfortable (anywhere) on the pitch.”
Raphinha was cut down in the box by Victor Chust and stroked home the resulting penalty after 14 minutes to get Flick’s team on their way.
Eric Garcia was sharp at the back to ward off a threatening Elche attack, while Barca’s Gavi caught the eye in midfield — admittedly more for his pink haircut, to celebrate Spain’s triumph, than for his performance.
Rapid winger Adeyemi, playing on the left, started shakily but grew into the game and doubled Barca’s lead before the break after Raphinha unselfishly set him up.
In the second half, former Newcastle United winger Gordon, on as a substitute, teed up Raphinha for his second and then supplied Lopez for Barca’s fourth in an electric and impressive cameo.
Youngster Xavi Espart played in Lopez, who endured a difficult summer after missing Spain’s World Cup triumph through injury, for his second to seal Barcelona’s comfortable triumph.
Flick’s high-line defence showed the occasional sign of its usual frailty but goalkeeper Joan Garcia did well when called on to keep a clean sheet.
“We were playing against a great team and you pay for your errors,” said Elche defender Chust.
“It was a tough day but I’ll take from it that the team didn’t stop running.”
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