Lambert unveiled a new-look 4-4-2 for the hosts, with Neymar on the left and Tadic alongside Firmino up front, perhaps aiming to confound the last of the league’s three debutant teams. It seemed to work, as a dominant start resulted in Tadic burying two clinical finishes before the break. Los Hijos looked overwhelmed by making their bow against a team with such a storied history and will need to come to terms with the size of the challenge very quickly.

By Kermit the Frog