Barcelona delivered an impressive performance, defeating Real Betis 5-0, with Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo scoring their debut goals for the Blaugrana.
The scoring began in the 25th minute when Joao Felix finished from a tight angle after strong pressing from Xavi’s team.
Felix played a crucial role in the second goal by dummying a pass from Andreas Christensen, allowing Robert Lewandowski to calmly slot the ball into the net.
In the second half, Ferran Torres extended Barcelona’s lead with their first direct free-kick goal since Lionel Messi achieved this feat in May 2021.
Raphinha added a fourth goal with an unstoppable strike from the edge of the box into the bottom right corner, and Cancelo sealed the victory with a powerful effort past Francisco Vieites.
This win propels Barcelona to the top of LaLiga with 13 points, maintaining their unbeaten league record. However, Real Madrid has an opportunity to regain the top spot when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday evening.
In what was Xavi’s largest victory to date as Barcelona manager, the Spanish tactician still believed there was room for improvement.
He said: “It’s impossible to call this a perfect match. We need to improve in several aspects.
“But yes, we played an excellent match, and I am satisfied with the performance of my players and the way they enjoyed the match”
Xavi also credited the fans for driving his team forward.
He said: “It felt like we played at the Camp Nou today. The Fans were spectacular and they helped us a lot.”