New-look Barcelona fire Real Madrid warning after thrashing Inter Miami

FC Barcelona displayed their new-look squad in the first pre-season friendly of their tour of the United States. They thrashed Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami FC 6-0, in a match that was a clear warning to bitter rivals Real Madrid. The two clubs will face each other this weekend in Las Vegas, and the Catalans will want to give Los Blancos a preview of what to expect this season.

The Barcelona squad arrive in Miami following a flurry of transfers that raised eyebrows across the football world. The "cash-strapped" club was believed to be drowning in debt, but a number of financial manoeuvres somehow allowed them to make huge signings, including Europe's top scorer Robert Lewandowski.

The Polish star forced an exit from Bayern Munich, who reluctantly agreed to sanction the deal after Barcelona managed to cough up the 50-million euro asking price. Despite already having Lewandowski on the bench, Barcelona did not even need him to completely outclass the hosts.

The opening minutes of the match made it clear that the visitors would dominate the proceedings. They immediately put pressure inside the box, with new arrival Franck Kessie featuring prominently.

Soon, winter arrival Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, drew first blood in the 19th minute, followed by freshly minted Raphinha, who had just completed his move from Leeds United.

The new arrival scored a goal and also provided two assists on the night, showing manager Xavi Hernandez exactly what he has to offer this season. Raphina gained a lot of confidence from his debut, claiming that the current Barcelona squad is better than the reigning European Champions.

"One always tries to score against anyone, but if it's in a Derby, even more. The most important thing is the win. But for me we're better than Real Madrid," he said, as quoted by Marca.

Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati then finished off the scoring in the first half, taking the visitors up 0-3. Fati's goal also sent a message of hope, after the forward spent the better part of the past two seasons recovering from a series of serious injuries. This year, he will be hoping to live up to the number 10 shirt that he inherited from Lionel Messi.

The second half told the same story, with Gavi, Memphis Depay and newly re-signed forward Ousmane Dembele completing the 0-6 thrashing.

Inter Miami could only watch and learn from their opponents' masterclass. Co-owner David Beckham and manager Phil Neville decided to give their sons, Romeo Beckham and Harvey Neville, some minutes to gain experience against Barcelona in the closing stages of the game.

The Catalans are riding on the crest of a wave, but they will be facing a much tougher opponent on Saturday in Las Vegas. The match against Real Madrid will be anything but friendly, as both clubs aim to gain maximum moral advantage ahead of the season opener.