Anyone who thought that last weeks surprise loss at home to unheralded Rubin Kazan was the first crack in a crumbling Barcelona football team should have been at Camp Nou on Sunday.
Pep Guardiolas classy players provided the answer with a 6-1 thrashing of Real Zaragoza and could easily have scored at least three more goals. It was a strong warning to their rivals in the Spanish and Champions Leagues that they are not going to give up their titles easily.
If this is how Barcelona reacts to a shock defeat, then the likes of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Premier League leader Chelsea should take note.
Lets face it, all Rubin did was catch Guardiolas team on an off day.
Yet the 2-1 Champions League loss prompted suggestions in the media that Barcelona was nowhere near as strong as the team that won three trophies last season when it became Spanish and European champions.
With Real Madrid bulking up its squad with huge signings such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso, Barcelona was under far more pressure to hold onto its Spanish league title, let alone the European crown.
Critics questioned the club for releasing the freescoring Samuel Etoo and replacing him with the immensely talented but unpredictable Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They pointed to lapses of concentration in defense and suggested Lionel Messis form had dropped because of Argentinas shaky form in qualifying for the World Cup.
Another loss at home would have added to those doubts. But Guardiolas team brushed Zaragoza aside and appeared unstoppable as it moved into a three-point lead at the top of the Spanish standings.
Ibrahimovic scored twice - once with a powerful free kick and the other from close range - and had another disallowed. Messi repeatedly cut through the Zaragoza defense with his dribbling, had two shots blocked by the keeper and finally chipped the ball over him for a goal.
Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez controlled the midfield and joined in the frequent spells of one-touch interpassing and Seydou Keita scored three goals in an overall performance which was applauded by club president Joan Laporta.
We put in a perfect performance and we were clearly deserved winners, he said. The players were especially motivated after Tuesdays result and they showed tonight that that was just a slip up.
Theres a long way to go in the league yet. We are playing well and with the same attitude we showed last year - humility and sacrifice. We are on the right track.
Guardiola had special praise for Messi and Ibrahimovic, who have combined for 13 goals.
Leo is never in doubt, he said. Hes a guy who just loves playing football. Its important that we are by his side and he knows that we will always be there whatever happens.
He said Ibrahimovic was settling into the team and becoming stronger and more dynamic.
Xavi said he was confident the team would get over the loss to Rubin.
I already said that the game the other day was just one of those things, he said. People tend to be guided by results, but we know that if we continue playing like that (against Zaragoza) then we will almost always win. The victory helped show that we are doing things well, has helped build confidence, and has made us league leaders.
Guardiola is likely to rest some of his front line players when Barcelona begins its defense of the domestic cup on Wednesday against Cultura Leonesa, a third-division club which has played only one season in topflight football.
Then comes a visit to mid-standings Osasuna in the league and a chance to make up for its loss to Rubin when it travels to Kazan Nov. 4.
Barcelona is in a very tight Champions League group with Italian champion Inter Milan and Ukraines Dynamo Kiev, with only one point separating first and last. Its possible that Guardiolas team needed that loss to Rubin to shrug off any hints of complacency and sharpen up its act.
If thats the case and Zaragoza was the first team to feel the full force of its response, then the rest of Europe should beware.
