Summer signing Neymar and new manager Gerardo Martino got their first taste of the Camp Nou on Friday as Barcelona defeated Santos 8-0 to lift the Joan Gamper trophy.
Martino named a strong side on his own home debut as the club’s new boss with the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Serio Busquets and Dani Alves all starting for the first time in pre-season.
It didn’t take the Santos defense to be exposed as Pedro fed Messi to fire home the opener from a tight angle after just eight minutes.
Leo could then only turn a dangerous cross from Alves into his own net three minutes later and Barça were three up inside 22 minutes when Messi unselfishly set up Sanchez to roll the ball inside the far corner.
Pedro made it four just moments later when he turned home Jordi Alba’s low cross, and with the game comfortably sewn up, Martino made eight changes at half-time. The biggest cheer of the night was when Neymar came on at half-time.
Fabregas was another one who was introduced at the break and he made it five just seven minutes after the restart with a composed finish from Sanchez’s pass.
Neymar then made his presence felt against his old club with a nicely weighted cut-back that Fabregas side-footed home before Adriano fired a 20-yard screamer into the far corner.
And Fabregas was involved again as he presented 18-year-old Dongou with an open goal to round off the scoring seven minutes from time.