Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick and Lionel Messi netted twice as Barcelona opened their 2016-17 La Liga title defence with a 6-2 win over Gus Poyet's Real Betis team at Camp Nou.
Betis were level in the 21st minute when Ruben Castro cancelled out an early Arda Turan strike, but the home side then scored five unanswered goals to ensure that they would begin the new campaign with a comfortable three points, despite a late consolation from Castro.
Samuel Umtiti and Denis Suarez both made their league debuts for Barcelona, while Luis Suarez returned in the final third to partner Messi and Turan, who both scored in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday night.
New Betis boss Poyet, meanwhile, handed debuts to five summer signings and among those were Antonio Sanabria, whom the Spanish club managed to sign from Roma despite a whole host of interest.
As expected, Barcelona immediately took control of possession and they made the breakthrough in the sixth minute of action when Turan turned a low Jordi Alba cross into the back of the net from close range.
It might have been 2-0 just four minutes later when a sensational pass from Messi found Alba, who attempted to pick out Suarez, but Betis, who operated with a five-man defence, just about managed to clear the ball behind.
The away side's first attempt came in the 20th minute when Alvaro Cejudo struck one from distance, but his effort was always too high as Claudio Bravo remained untested between the sticks.
Betis were on terms just one minute later, however, when 35-year-old striker Castro, who scored 18 league goals last season, sent a free kick into the top corner to silence the Camp Nou.
The hosts had a strong shout for a penalty in the 27th minute when Luis Suarez went down inside the box under pressure from Aissa Mandi, but the referee was not interested, before Messi rattled the crossbar with a stinging strike from close range as Barcelona looked to hit back.
Messi was not to be denied in the 37th minute, however, as the Argentine worked a yard of space outside the away side's box before shaping the ball out of the reach of Antonio Adan in the Betis net.
Barcelona were not finished in the first period though and scored a third in the 42nd minute of action when Sergi Roberto raced down the right and delivered a low cross in to Luis Suarez, who swept the ball into the bottom corner.
The Spanish champions had the ball in the back of the net for a fourth time early in the second period when Turan turned home from close range, but the Turkish international was in an offside position when Messi released the initial strike.
Denis Suarez was next to try his luck after meeting a cross from Messi, but the summer signing could not find a route past Adan, who was under constant siege during a period of domination from the home side.
Barcelona scored their fourth of the match in the 56th minute when Luis Suarez turned a low Messi cross into the back of the net, before Messi, who dazzled once again, fired one into the bottom corner for 5-1 less than two minutes later after Charly Musonda had conceded possession in the middle of the park.
Betis managed to steady the ship over the next 10 minutes, although the visitors were struggling to create in the final third as Castro and Sarabia remained isolated in what was a 5-3-2 formation from Poyet's side.
Messi had a chance to score his third 15 minutes from time when Alba picked out the Argentine with a low cross, but Adan was on hand to make a smart save and keep the score at five.
There was another new signing on display in the latter stages as Lucas Digne was brought on for Barcelona, but the chances dried up in the latter stages as Betis sat 10 players behind the ball in a bid to prevent a sixth goal.
The sixth did eventually arrive for Barcelona in the 82nd minute when Luis Suarez took over free-kick duties from Messi and found the back of the net, but Betis responded with a goal of their own as Castro's low effort flew past Bravo to register his second of the night.
Barcelona will look to make it back-to-back league wins when they visit Athletic Bilbao next weekend, while Betis will host Deportivo La Coruna on Friday night.
Matt Law
