Warning to Real Madrid: Barcelona beat Elche 5-0, Adeyemi and Gordon get off to a brilliant start in La Liga | OneFootball

Barcelona defeated Elche 5-0 to get their La Liga title defence underway yesterday.

Raphinha opened the scoring with a penalty that he won before setting up debutant Karim Adeyemi to double the lead just before the half-time break.

Anthony Gordon came on as a substitute and assisted Raphinha’s second, then set up Fermin Lopez’s second when he could have shot himself.

Lopez, who has returned from the injury that forced him to miss the 2026 World Cup, is looking immaculate again this season.

The Spaniard produced a wonderful turn to get past one defender and scored Barca’s fifth.

Elche barely had a sniff. They hit the post in the 68th minute and had another great chance that Joan Garcia smothered moments later. Beyond that, Barcelona proved too overwhelming.

Barcelona have won three of the last four La Liga titles available, and no one can stop them in this mood.

If they sign a top-class centre-half and striker to the squad, they would be even more formidable. Lamine Yamal hasn’t even hit top form.

They have sent a strong message to Real Madrid, who laboured to a 2-1 win over Espanyol, and Atletico Madrid, as they drew 2-2 with Villarreal.

Barcelona can brush teams aside without leaving gear one, and the Madrid giants will need to do something special to prevent them from keeping their crown.

Manager Hansi Flick has built a well-oiled machine that has started a very gallant march towards another title.

Injuries, the quest for a Champions League title and other factors might derail them.

However, if Barcelona maintain this level while strengthening in the positions they still need to address, they could prove an irresistible force in Spain once again.