Flawed, wild and utterly thrilling

We've had the “Dream Team” and the “Golden Generation”; now, we have an edition of Barcelona that could prove to be the most entertaining.

You can argue whether Johan Cruyff's legends of the 80s and 90s or Pep Guardiola's “tiki-taka” team was the best - but the current collection is guaranteeing more thrills per minute than any other side - ever.

Notice, I don't say the BEST team ever! That's because they have flaws that makes the experience of watching them more exhilarating.

In the seven games they've played this season, spectators have seen 40 goals. They've hit five goals on four occasions and scored seven in the storm against Racing Santander this mid-week. Raphinha is already in double figures, and Lamine Yamal isn't far behind.

The attacking football is beautiful - but what makes the Barcelona experience more beautiful are the flaws.

Even average teams like Levante or Racing's reserves get a free shot - several free shots. Despite taking a two-goal lead at Levante, Barcelona needed the insurance of a fourth goal as the home side pulled it back to 2-3.

Even Racing Santander, who “rested”, or maybe protected, eight players at the Camp Nou were given a couple of a free punches at the chin of the heavyweight. Their second goal was an absolute gift from substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. The former Poland international was famously persuaded to come out of retirement from his Marbella home a couple of summers ago; on Wednesday, he played like he'd just rolled off his sun-lounger after a couple of cervezas.

The unpredictability is what makes them a '“must-watch”. Hansi Flick has devised a style that leaves the backdoor and all the rear windows open. It is an invitation to try a smash and grab.

His calculated gamble is working wonders. They have outscored the opposition by 26 goals so far. Bear in mind, the concern was how they would play without a recognised centre-forward after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. It has just given more freedom for Raphinha and Yamal to do their thing; the Brazilian has a hat-trick and three doubles and the Spain star has eight goals in his last five games.

The task now is to transfer the dominance of La Liga to Europe. They have won the Spanish title for the past two seasons, yet failed in the Champions League; inexperience and youthful naivety cost them. Sure, it is still a team packed with teenagers and has an average age of just 23. The difference is that a couple of those teenagers now have World Cup winners' medals; they have the spine of the national team with the likes of Pedri, Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo and now Rodri.

Some would say they can't replicate the swashbuckling style in Uefa competitions against clubs from other leagues. Remember: they hit seven past the Premier League's Newcastle last season and the only team to stop them were Spain's Atlético Madrid.

It is a team that far from perfection, but it is the imperfections that make Barcelona compulsive viewing for those who want them to win and even those who want them to lose.