Barcelona v Feyenoord
Play By Play
If you were to adhere to the old adage, 'start as you mean to go on', it'd be a worthy shout to crown Barcelona Champions of Europe already. The final whistle sounds, and an imposing Blaugrana performance comes to a close as Hansi Flick's side thrash Feyenoord 5-1 at the Spotify Camp Nou. No doubt sending warning shots to the other competition favourites, the Catalans dominated their visitors from Rotterdam tonight and took the lead with just 2:50 on the clock. Setting down the marker for this season's quickest European goal, Raphinha drove through the rain onto a Lamine Yamal pass before jinking back inside soon-to-be iconic, synchronised sliding markers and burying his effort with aplomb. In the 22nd minute, it was 2-0 as more domineering possession was capped by a fine finish, with Karim Adeyemi wrapping a right-footed belter from range past compatriot Tjark Ernst. The scoring continued after the interval, as Pedri cut open the away centre-back pairing for Raphinha to double his tally and mark eight all-competition goals already. Yamal powered home a free-kick approaching the dying embers to get himself off and running in the UCL. However, after this strike, Feyenoord would turn the frustration of two disallowed goals for offside into a consolation as substitutes Goncalo Borges and Sem Steijn combined for the latter's back-post finish. Ultimately though, a Barcelona substitute rounded off the day, as Gabriel Jesus flicked on a perfect Yamal cross to nestle the ball into the bottom-left corner with five minutes of normal time remaining. Barcelona asserted themselves well tonight while flying high above their 1.63 xG. On the other hand, this was always going to be difficult for the 0.52 xG-battling Feyenoord, but will stand as a game with elite-level lessons. Thanks for joining us tonight, goodbye!
FULL-TIME: BARCELONA 5-1 FEYENOORD.
OFF THE BAR! Fermin wins his side a late free-kick now as a Targhalline lunge is just mistimed. Can Yamal score this one too? No, he lasers a ball low to Gordon on the left and his cross is headed against the top of the crossbar by Jesus.
There'll be a minimum of three minutes of added time here.
STEIJN! Borges sees a shot blocked and ricochet upward. Steijn touches it down well and swivels a shot on target that Garcia has to parry away!
The hosts must be looking VERY menacing to the other big teams in the competition. Yamal shapes a shot akin to Ronaldinho on goal with a Trivela-like motion. However, Ernst is behind it this time.
It's a lovely ball from Yamal. How he knows where his new striker is going to be and react is really special. They can't have been training together for long at all.
GOOOOAAAALLLL! 5-1! BARCA'S NEW NUMBER NINE MAKES AN INSTANT IMPACT! Yamal sends a cute cross into the Feyenoord box, and Jesus rises to flick nicely into the bottom-left corner! Start as you mean to go on, and all that.
Van Bronckhorst brings more youth into the picture now, as Valente comes off for 19-year-old Tobias van den Elshout's UCL debut.
Barca's late refresh continues as Rodri makes way for Gavi.
More subs now. After conceding, Olmo comes off for new signing from Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus.
It's a fine ball from the substitute Borges. It's the definition of 'corridor of uncertainty'.
GOOOOAAAALLLL! 4-1! CONSOLATION FOR FEYENOORD! The Rotterdammers finally have something to cheer about in that away section, as a tempting Borges cross from the right curls to the back post for Steijn to power past Garcia.
It's nearly five now as Gordon scampers in behind, past a faltering Watanabe. Ernst tries to harry him, and the ball is worked back across before a Bernal shot is blocked and danger is just about dealt with!
GOOOOAAAALLLL! 4-0! YAMAL FROM A FREE-KICK! Barca have four, and their teenage star makes it look EASY as he bends a deft free-kick through the poor Feyenoord wall from the edge of the area and into the right of a rooted Ernst's goal.
Steijn is nearly through but loses his cool under pressure from Garcia. Like many times today, it seems the away side had just strayed offside. That Barca back line has been so disciplined in its positioning tonight.
SAVE! It's a good stretch from Ernst to tip a Fermin curler around the right post! The shot was well-hit from just outside the box.
Vanhoutte is the next to head off, ending his turmoil in the middle of the park. On comes Sem Steijn.
Feyenoord go for fresh legs too now, as the tricky Hadj Moussa is swapped out for Goncalo Borges.
The amazing hot streak continues! Raphinha's number is up after yet another fantastic outing for Barcelona. On comes Fermin Lopez as the standing ovation continues.
St. Juste does excellently as he tackles Gordon and then shifts away from another marker to win a foul.
The hosts want more now, yet a falling Olmo can only fire into the bodies in a crowded penalty area.
Gordon looks to replicate the man he replaced earlier, yet he gets under his right-footed shot from range and it flies high and wide of the target.
Those disallowed efforts should help Feyenoord's confidence. Before them, the last shot they took came courtesy of Hadj Moussa in the 37th minute.
The next change sees one of the day's goalscorers, Adeyemi, replaced by Anthony Gordon. The depth is really something to behold at Barcelona.
