First hurdle surpassed! Barça have won their opening match in the Main Round of the Champions League, beginning their return to the competition in the best possible way with a big 6-1 victory against Swiss side Minerva in Lučenec.

Minute's silence for the train accident in Spain

After a moving minute's silence for the victims of the tragic rail accident in the province of Toledo, the match began with an opportunity for Tomic from the Swiss side before one for Feixas, but it wasn't long before Barça started to punish through Pito.

Even start

The Brazilian opened the scoring (1-0, min. 3) after making the most of a pass into space from Catela. Minerva reacted to the goal, and even more so when Catela missed a penalty for a foul on Pito (min. 9), levelling up the game through Ryan Gomes after Touré lost possession (1-1, min. 11).

Barça score direct free kick

The equaliser emboldened Javi Rodríguez's side, and on the next play, Joao Víctor scored a great goal after a nutmeg and cool finish (2-1, min. 12). He then started the move for the third goal with a pass into space to Adolfo, who put it on a plate for Sergio González to score (3-1, min. 13).

And there was another to come, the third in four minutes. Touré found Higor, whose half turn and powerful shot meant the game was well on the way to being won before halftime (4-1, min. 16). The second half began with Dídac in goal and Barça looking more likely to score a fifth than Minerva a second.

Two more in the second half

Neither Touré nor a Pito and Joao Víctor combination nor Adolfo got it, because it was Higor who scored again, punishing an error to grab his brace (5-1, min. 32). Then Pito followed up with his own brace, a thundering shot into the top corner (6-1, min. 35), which was the last goal despite more chances to score.

First in the bag

Goalkeeper Iker Abad also got a few minutes towards the end, meaning the entire squad contributed to this first Champions league win after two seasons away from the competition. Next up Semey on 29 October (4.00pm CET), before hosts Lučenec on 30 October (6.00pm).

Game stats

Barça: 6
Minerva: 1

Barça: Feixas, Antonio, Catela, Sergio González, Pito - starting five - Abad, Dídac, Roger, Higor, Adolfo, Touré, Eric, Joao Víctor, Mouhoudine.

Minerva: Silva, Tomic, Fernando, Hiroshi, Costamanha - starting five - Mannhart, Jaggi, Hugo, Encinas, Kägi, Gomes, Halimi, Petrov

Goals: 1-0, Pito (min. 3); 1-1, Ryan Gomes (min. 11); 2-1, Joao Víctor (min. 12); 3-1, Sergio González (min. 13); 4-1, Higor (min. 16); 5-1, Higor (min. 32); 6-1, Pito (min. 35)

Referees: Ondřej Černý, Jiri Bergs, Antonio Dimundo.