Celebrating the Joaos: How Cancelo and Felix are instantly improving Barcelona

On September 1st, on transfer deadline day, FC Barcelona signed not one João but two. As the clock ticked down at the end of the summer window, the Catalan club secured the loan signing of right-back João Cancelo from Manchester City and another loan to bring in João Félix from Atlético de Madrid.

Both Portugal internationals made their Barça debuts just a couple of days later, coming off the bench to help Los Blaugrana secure a 2-1 victory away at CA Osasuna before the September international break. Then, this past Saturday, in Matchday 5 of LALIGA EA SPORTS, they were able to play in front of their new fanbase for the first time and put on a show at the Estadi Olímpic in a 5-0 victory over Real Betis. To defeat such a formidable opponent, one that has qualified for Europe three years in a row, by such a large scoreline is testament to the attacking spectacle that FC Barcelona put together.

João Félix: The opening goal and the first glimpses of a connection with Lewandowski

João Félix was the leading conductor. The former Golden Boy winner started on the left of Xavi's front three and was constantly on the ball, having more touches than any of his attacking colleagues. In the 25th minute of the first half, the 23-year-old opened the scoring in impressive style, doing well to control a cross from Oriol Romeu, to evade goalkeeper Rui Silva and to finish from the tightest of angles.

Seven minutes later, João Félix created Barça's second goal of the night with an action that won't show up on the stats sheets but that wowed everyone watching on. As Andreas Christensen brought the ball up the pitch, João Félix looked left and looked right, scanning the pitch just like his new coach Xavi used to do. That meant that when