Barcelona equalled the best start to a LaLiga season in history by claiming a ninth successive win in a fiery 5-2 win over 10-man Real Betis.
Lamine Yamal inspired the victory, which saw Hansi Flick’s side match a record set by Real Madrid back in the 1968-69 season.
Yamal scored a brilliant opener and set up Gabriel Jesus for the third, with Rodri netting his first for Barca and Eric García and Dani Olmo also on target.
Betis went into the match in third place and scored through Valentín Gómez and Abde Ezzalzouli but, moments after the latter had pulled it back to 3-2, Facundo Bernal was shown a red card for tangling with Yamal.
The result was the ideal way to kick off a big week for Barça, who play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before taking on Madrid in the league next weekend.
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Yamal needed less than 10 minutes to make his mark, producing a brilliant turn on the edge of the area and an even better finish, curling a 20-yard shot into the top corner.
Barça dominated possession but Betis drew level in the 27th minute when the visitors failed to clear a corner and Gómez powerfully headed in Pablo Fornals’ cross.
Yamal played in Karim Adeyemi, who was denied by a strong hand from Álvaro Valles, while Héctor Bellerín saw his shot well saved by Joan García at the other end.
Barça went back in front four minutes before the break from a corner, with Rodri capitalising on hesitation from Valles, but Betis were furious to see an apparent equaliser ruled out only two minutes later.
Giovani Lo Celso brilliantly found the top corner with a left-foot volley on the spin from outside the box but it was disallowed for a handball in the build-up.
Chances continued to flow after the break and, moments after Jesus saw a first-time finish from a Yamal cross ruled out for a marginal offside, the same two players combined for a goal that did count.
Only a minute later Ezzalzouli sprang the offside trap to reduce the arrears but a melee in the aftermath ended with Bernal being shown a red card for moving his head towards Yamal, who fell to the ground.
The young Spain star was booked for his role in the confrontation but it was a costly blow for Betis and Barça restored their two-goal advantage in the 62nd minute when Pau Cubarsí beat the flailing Valles to a cross and substitute Garcia tapped in.
Anthony Gordon, also on as a replacement, came close to extending the lead before Olmo did add a fifth in the 81st minute.
