Lionel Messi scored twice as La Liga champions Barcelona beat Alaves 3-0 at the Nou Camp in their opening match of the new season.
Messi, who saw his Argentina side fail to make an impact at the World Cup in Russia, returned to club action in determined mood and had rattled the crossbar with a first-half free-kick.
The Barcelona captain, taking the armband following the departure of Andres Iniesta, eventually broke the deadlock when his clever low free-kick flew under the wall in the 64th minute.
Substitute Philippe Coutinho added a well-taken second before another fine bit of individual skill from Messi wrapped things up in stoppage time.
It was Messi's first La Liga outing since Iniesta's summer move to Japan, and though Barca's midfield perhaps lacked the creativity that Camp Nou regulars will have become accustomed to, the former's genius was still on show.
Standard Sport's Ben Hayward assesses Barcelona's opening day victory over Alaves in the video above...
