New signings impress, Espart shines | Three takeaways from Elche 0-5 Barcelona | OneFootball

Having missed match day 1 of La Liga, Barcelona took to the field last night in their first official game of the new season against Elche and they could not have asked for a better outcome.

In the first 90 minutes of the new season, the team put five goals past the opposition and kicked off the new season in the best way possible.

Raphinha and Fermin Lopez bagged braces for the visitors while Karim Adeyemi scored once to hand Barcelona all three points, and the night left more positive takeaways than reasons to ponder.

Barça Universal brings you three takeaways from Elche 0-5 Barcelona.

Five goals at half throttle

To score five goals in the first game of the new season can only be seen as a sign of great things to come, but what Barcelona did last night was far superior.

After all, it is not only about the number of goals scored but also about the conditions under which they arose, and that puts Barcelona’s achievement into perspective.

Taking to the field for the first time this season, the Catalans were unable to count on many of the usual starters given the fatigue they are carrying on from the FIFA World Cup.

In an effort to manage their minutes and fitness, Hansi Flick started Pedri, Dani Olmo, Jules Kounde, Joao Cancelo and Pau Cubarsi on the bench and Rodri was not even called up for the clash.

To secure such a dominant result without Cubarsi and Rodri playing any part and Pedri playing just 45 minutes, needless to say, speaks volumes about the talent the Blaugrana possess.

If they can score five times at half-throttle with academy graduates running the show, it is exciting thinking of what may unfold when the full-strength squad arrives this season.

New signings impress

Karim Adeyemi scored on his debut. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images)

New signings at Barcelona often take their own time to adapt and gradually adjust to the team’s style of play, for Barcelona’s signature dynamics and the pressure of performing at the club both complicate matters.

Last night, two new signings made their official debuts for Barcelona – Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon – and both players shone brightly in their very first game as an Azulgrana.

Adeyemi started on the left flank on the night and was one of the team’s biggest attacking threats with his terrifying pace and confident finishing.

Despite initial worries about his adaptation to the style of play, the new winger impressed with his movements, runs into space, and even his link-up play. His pace on the wing, in fact, was the driving force of every counter-attack.

Adeyemi even went on to score a peach of a goal on his debut as he intricately controlled the ball and dispatched it into the back of the net off Raphinha’s assist. His 65 minutes of action were commendable and a sign of great things to come.

Anthony Gordon, meanwhile, came on when Adeyemi was taken off and played only 25 minutes against Elche. In his first five minutes on the field, the winger racked up two assists.

Once again obliterating the defences with his pace, Gordon found himself in a great position to set up Raphinha in the 67th minute. Four minutes later, he had an opportunity to go for glory himself but opted to set up Fermin Lopez and bagged a second assist.

If anything, Flick will be pleased to see the new signings contribute immediately to the team’s success. They could not have hoped for a quicker adaptation.

Xavi Espart continues to shine

Raphinha and Fermin Lopez were the team’s standouts in attack last night, both bagging braces and stealing the headlines. While the former delivered a captain’s performance, the latter shone in the second half and sealed the result beyond doubt.

Xavi Espart was brilliant against Elche. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images)

Beyond the duo and the others who impressed, however, there was one young name who stood out for excelling in a foreign position – Xavi Espart.

The young La Masia sensation began his time in the first-team as a backup right-back and did well when deployed in that position. In pre-season, he was placed as a midfielder and won serious praise for his maturity, creativity and vision.

Last night, Hansi Flick deployed Espart as a left-back given the situation around Alejandro Balde and Cancelo’s lack of match fitness. What was initially thought to be a convenient arrangement to get past the game, however, left everyone in awe.

What Espart produced last night as the left-back was impeccable, as he showed a superior understanding of the game to many experienced names.

The youngster knew when to push forward and when to drop into central areas, was comfortable in possession and was pinpoint with his passing. His combination play in tight spaces was top-notch, and he was relentless in duels.

During his time on the field, it was almost impossible to tell that he was playing in a makeshift position, and Hansi Flick also had high praise for him after the game.

Espart’s talent is unreal, and he has now proved that he can play in a diverse range of roles without any effect on his output. He has surely won the manager and the fans over, and it would well turn out to be his breakout season.