Barcelona score five to beat Feyenoord in Champions League opener

Barcelona began the league phase of the Champions League with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Feyenoord, securing their first three points in the competition’s new format.

Raphinha scored twice, while Lamine Yamal, Karim Adeyemi and Gabriel Jesus were also on target for the Spanish side. Sem Steijn scored Feyenoord’s only goal.

The result continued Barcelona’s prolific start to the season, with the club having now scored 22 goals in their first five competitive matches. It is the first time they have reached that total at this stage of a campaign since 1959-60, when they scored 23.

However, Barcelona’s defensive record in Europe remains a concern. They have conceded at least once in each of their past 16 Champions League matches, the worst such run in the club’s history in the competition.

Yamal’s contribution to the victory also took him to 101 goal involvements for Barcelona in all competitions, comprising 54 goals and 47 assists.

Raphinha sets Barcelona on their way

Barcelona took the lead after only five minutes when Raphinha worked his way past both Feyenoord centre-backs before finishing into the net. It was his first goal in this season’s Champions League under its revised format.

Jules Kounde came close to adding a second six minutes later, but his powerful effort from distance went narrowly wide.

Barcelona did double their advantage in the 23rd minute. Adeyemi produced a curling strike from outside the penalty area which found the Feyenoord net.

Joao Cancelo then struck the left post with a shot from inside the box in the 37th minute as Barcelona continued to threaten before the interval.

Manager Hans-Dieter Flick made several changes to his starting line-up for the match. Adeyemi began in place of Anthony Gordon, while Joao Cancelo was selected from the start instead of Xavi Espart.

Raphinha added his second goal in the 57th minute after receiving a superb pass from Pedri. The Brazil forward ran through on goal from the centre of the pitch before calmly finding the net.

Yamal made it 4-0 in the 78th minute, scoring directly from a free-kick to further strengthen Barcelona’s control of the match.

Feyenoord briefly reduced the deficit four minutes later when Steijn struck a powerful shot beyond Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

But Barcelona restored their four-goal advantage late on. Yamal delivered an accurate cross and Gabriel Jesus headed home to score his first goal for the Catalan club since joining from Arsenal.

The win gave Barcelona their fourth five-goal victory across all competitions this season. Three of those victories have come in the league, with the other arriving in the Champions League.