Raphinha at the double as Barca put Feyenoord to sword in UCL opener

Goals have been no issue whatsoever for Barcelona this season, and they were back on the scoresheet after just three minutes here.

Makeshift striker Raphinha continued his rich vein of goalscoring form, leaving two Feyenoord players in his wake with a sensational dummy before slamming into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

Dani Olmo came close to doubling their advantage moments later when he stung the palms of Tjark Ernst, but the Feyenoord stopper was powerless to prevent Karim Adeyemi from netting Barca’s second midway through the first half when he stepped in off the left and bent an inch-perfect effort into the far corner. 

It felt like Barca had established a two-goal lead without truly getting out of second gear or leaning on Lamine Yamal. He did almost burst into life on the half-hour mark, though, when he curled a left-footed effort inches wide of the post, the same post which Joao Cancelo rattled 10 minutes later.

In between those chances, Feyenoord did come close to reducing the arrears through Anis Hadj Moussa, who fired straight at Joan García from the corner of the six-yard box, but that was their only meaningful sighting of goal in an otherwise disappointing half. 

It didn’t take the hosts too long after the break to place the game out of reach for Feyenoord, with Raphinha once again adding the finishing touches as his clever run in behind was found by Pedri and the Brazilian did the rest as he coolly slotted his eighth goal in five games this season into the corner.

Their three-goal cushion was nearly slashed straight back down to two instantly as Nacho Ferri turned home a loose ball inside the area, but a lengthy VAR check chalked the goal off for a marginal offside in the build-up.

A healthy lead afforded Hansi Flick the chance to withdraw some of his big hitters ahead of the weekend, but it was perhaps his biggest hitter of all whom he left on in Lamine Yamal, and he justified that call when he converted a 20-yard free-kick through a broken Feyenoord wall. 

Sem Steijn did at least manage to grab a late consolation for the Rotterdammers, but even then he was upstaged by Gabriel Jesus, who came off the bench to head home Lamine Yamal’s delivery and round off a perfect evening for a Barcelona side who’ve now scored five goals in four of their five competitive outings this term.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Check out the match stats here.