Raphinha once again scored two goals, while Yamal contributed one goal and two assists. New signing Karim Adeyemi also joined in the scoring, turning the Dutch side into unwilling spectators at the football "party" at Camp Nou.

Raphinha scores in the Barca – Feyenoord Champions League qualifying round match at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain on 9/9. Photo: Reuters

Feyenoord are the reigning runners-up of the Dutch National League (Eredivisie), but last season they finished 19 points behind champions PSV Eindhoven. The team that once reigned supreme in the European Cup is now a distant memory. No Dutch club reached the Champions League knockout stage in the 2025-2026 season, and Opta now rates the Eredivisie as weaker than even the English Championship. This signaled an almost unavoidable risk of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's team leaving empty-handed.

For Van Bronckhorst, this was also a return to his former home, where he spent his most successful years as a club player. The former Dutch international won the Champions League with Frank Rijkaard's Barca in heavy rain at Stade de France, France in 5/2006.

The sky at Camp Nou yesterday also poured heavy rain as the Barca – Feyenoord match began. However, it could not extinguish the attacking fire burning brightly from Hansi Flick's squad, as they opened the scoring in the third minute. From Yamal's not-so-convenient first-touch horizontal pass from the right flank between Feyenoord's lines, Raphinha understood the intention and quickly seized the ball. What followed was a perfect move by the Brazilian forward. He feinted, bypassed two opposing defenders, then decisively struck the ball into the net past goalkeeper Tjark Ernst.

A slow-motion replay of the situation made it seem as if two Feyenoord defenders were sliding together on a wet surface as Raphinha went past them. Perhaps due to the rain and wet pitch, they slid so smoothly, but this was a situation where the Barca captain knew exactly what he needed to do to eliminate his opponents before shooting.

Karim Adeyemi celebrates his goal in the Barca – Feyenoord Champions League qualifying round match at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain on 9/9. Photo: Reuters

Coach Flick changed half of his starting lineup compared to the 5-0 thrashing of Valencia in La Liga a few days ago. Opportunities were given to players like Joao Cancelo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Dani Olmo, and Adeyemi. Despite these changes, Barca remained a formidable force, at least for now.

After 22 minutes, the sky gradually cleared. That was also when Adeyemi created a new turning point. He extended the lead to 2-0 with a breakthrough from the left wing, cutting into the center, then curling a beautiful right-footed shot from outside the box.

The attacking frenzy and relentless rhythm from Barca's forwards also spread to the defenders. Cancelo and Kounde several times added to the team's shot statistics. The Portuguese full-back even hit Feyenoord's woodwork once. However, attacking full-backs also put Barca's defense at risk at times. Anis Hadj Moussa's trickery created at least two opportunities for Feyenoord down the right flank.

However, facing Barca at this moment, with already scarce opportunities that could not be capitalized on, it was very difficult to earn points. Conversely, the Camp Nou hosts excelled in both aspects: many shots and a proportional number of goals. From 24 attempts, Barca scored 5 goals against Feyenoord.

Raphinha completed his third brace of the season in the 57th minute, following a setup seen in the 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao on 27/8. Compared to his first goal, this strike was equally exquisite. Just before accelerating behind the opposing defense to score, the 29-year-old forward made a double movement in the opposite direction. He pulled back to lure his marker, then suddenly accelerated forward when his opponent had lost momentum. The rest was receiving a through-ball assist from Pedri, a connection promising to be repeated.

The Barca captain left the field in the 71st minute, concluding his fifth consecutive scoring match since the start of the season. In total, Raphinha has scored 8 times across all competitions. This is the destructive form of a natural winger deployed by Flick as a full-time number 9.

Gabriel Jesus scores in the Barca – Feyenoord Champions League qualifying round match at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain on 9/9. Photo: Reuters

The captain's armband was handed by Raphinha to vice-captain... Yamal. The 19-year-old star, who had been excellent from the start, seemed re-energized. In the 77th minute, the Spanish winger took a beautiful free-kick, curling the ball through the wall into the net, leaving the Feyenoord goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

Yamal also had a hand in Gabriel Jesus's first goal for Barca. The Brazilian's backward flick header added a fresh aerial dimension for the hosts since he was brought onto the field.

This was also Barca's most successful match in terms of offside traps since the start of the season (8 times). While highly effective, it also revealed how often Feyenoord identified and tried to exploit Hansi's familiar tactical approach.

Although disallowed for offside, Feyenoord's first attempt to score against Barca in the 59th minute reflected a familiar tactical play that opponents have used and will use against Flick's team. They pinned Barca's defenders with decoys, before a surprise runner from the second line received the pass.

The visitors' consolation goal came in the 82nd minute. Although not following that scenario, it highlighted Kounde's defensive issues on the flank. The French international has not been in his best form since the start of the season and will likely return to the bench once Eric Garcia is back.

Until then, the Barca whirlwind shows no signs of stopping. Raphinha, Yamal, Adeyemi, and Jesus – different caliber attackers – are helping Flick's squad continue to score 5 goals per match without a true number 9.

Hoang Thong