Barcelona underlined their title credentials with a commanding 5-0 victory away at Valencia on Sunday, with Lamine Yamal scoring twice as Hansi Flick's side extended their perfect start to the La Liga season.
The result moved the reigning champions three points clear at the summit of the table, with Barcelona now the only club in Spain's top flight to have won all four of their opening league fixtures. Their advantage was widened after Real Madrid, managed by Jose Mourinho, suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at Real Betis on Friday.
Barcelona took command from the opening exchanges at a fractious Mestalla, silencing the home supporters inside just six minutes. Fermín López threaded a delightful ball over the Valencia defence, and the teenage sensation Yamal finished with a delicate lofted effort to open the scoring.
The visitors doubled their advantage soon after when Fermín, this time as scorer, converted crisply in the 22nd minute following a set-up from former Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon. Barcelona did suffer a setback in the first half when defender Eric García was forced off after a collision with midfielder Rodri, who was making his first start since joining from Manchester City in the summer.
Raphinha, deployed once again as Barcelona's central striker, added a third for the visitors, tapping in from close range after being teed up by Fermín — his sixth goal of the campaign. Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski did well to deny Rodri before Pedri extended the lead further, finishing off a slick passing sequence with Dani Olmo to make it four.
Gabriel Jesus made his Barcelona debut in the closing stages, coming off the bench and forcing a low effort just wide of the target. Yamal completed the rout late on, staying onside to latch onto another pass from Olmo and slot home his second of the afternoon, sealing a five-goal margin of victory.
Speaking after the match, Flick praised his side's performance. "We played a fantastic game, it was nearly perfect, we controlled, we were dominant and this is what I want from the team," the Barcelona coach said. "We stay calm and then if it's possible to score we try to do it – it was a fantastic game for us. Nothing is perfect, you always can improve. If it's perfect then you can stop working."
Elsewhere in European football on Sunday, there was late drama in Serie A as Juventus salvaged a point against Milan in Turin. Alphadjo Cisse, the 19-year-old forward, had given Milan the lead in the 69th minute with a composed finish after controlling a crossfield pass from Samuel Chukwueze, adding to his opening-day goal against Torino. However, Juventus substitute Federico Gatti headed home a stoppage-time equaliser in the 92nd minute, after a cross from Teun Koopmeiners, to secure a 1-1 draw. The result leaves both clubs on seven points from three matches, with Milan fourth in the table and Juventus fifth on goal difference.
In other Serie A action, Giorgi Kvernadze scored a late winner for Frosinone against Venezia, while Bologna twice fought back to draw 2-2 with Sassuolo in a game that saw Sassuolo coach Domenico Tedesco sent off. Monza and Parma shared a 1-1 draw, with both sides recording their first points of the season through maiden Serie A goals from teenagers Jay Robinson and Simone Lontani.
In the Bundesliga, Mainz thrashed Hamburg 5-0, with Sheraldo Becker and Phillip Tietz both involved in multiple goals, while Augsburg moved top of the table courtesy of a 4-1 comeback win at Eintracht Frankfurt, aided by goals from Robin Fellhauer, Alexis Claude-Maurice and Fabian Rieder.
Meanwhile in the Eredivisie, Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr, son of former Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman, scored two late penalties — including one in the 11th minute of stoppage time — to rescue a draw against Cambuur.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.