Barcelona forward Raphinha responded to being left on the bench after arriving late for an activation session by scoring a brace in Sunday's thumping 6-0 win over Valencia in LaLiga.
Fermín López and Robert Lewandowski also scored two goals each as Barça made it 10 points from 12 in the league this season, while Marc Bernal made his return to action after 383 days sidelined with a torn ACL.
With Lamine Yamal missing through injury, Raphinha was expected to start on the right of Barça's attack, but was a surprise omission as coach Hansi Flick handed a debut to Swedish youngster Roony Bardghji.
A source told ESPN Raphinha was left out because he arrived late for the pregame activation session, with Flick having previously omitted Jules Koundé and Iñaki Peña for similar reasons.
The source added that a misunderstanding and slight delay led to Raphinha's tardiness, with the Brazilian making up for lost time by netting twice after replacing Bardghji at the break.
"Only 11 players can start, so we have a little more in the team, this is what I can say," Flick said in the post-game news conference with a smile when asked about Raphinha's absence from the side.
"He trained good this week after the international break. His attitude is fantastic, I love what I see, and his mentality also. He also wants to learn and to play with the team.
"I am happy with the whole team performance. From the beginning we showed what we want to do. The intensity was there.
"We played as a team, together, for each other. The starting lineup did fantastic, but also the players who came in [from the bench]. They increased the level of our performance."
Barça had led just 1-0 at the break, via Fermín's finish from a tight angle. The midfielder added his second goal in the 56th minute, after Raphinha had converted Marcus Rashford's cross, to complete an impressive performance after a summer which saw him linked with a move away.
"I never had any doubts," Fermín told Movistar of the links to Chelsea. "There is always speculation, but I wanted to stay here and I will fight to stay here for many years. The rest is all part of football."
Flick was happy with what he saw from the Spain international but urged caution.
"I think we have to keep calm," he said when asked about Fermín's performance. "For me, today is a great step for him. This is what I want to see every match.
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"Everyone knows he has amazing quality. Against the ball he's very aggressive, he wins the ball a lot, but also with the ball. I think he can also improve, but he's in a really fantastic way."
Raphinha then added the fourth goal before Lewandowski emerged from the bench to score his first two goals of the season, the second set up by Bernal, who had just come on himself.
Bernal's appearance marked his first in over a year after he tore his ACL in a league game last August. The 18-year-old was given a rousing reception by the 5,862-crowd at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, where the fixture was played as Barça await the green light to return to Spotify Camp Nou.
"After this long trip from injury to come back on the pitch, especially for him, for his family, it's a great moment," Flick said of Bernal's comeback.
"He worked really hard in the last year. Also what you can see in the stadium, the fans, how they celebrated. It means a lot for this club. I am happy for him."
Barça now turn their attention to the Champions League. They open their campaign in Europe this season with a tricky trip to Premier League side Newcastle United on Thursday.
"Last season we didn't play in England, [against a] Premier League [team]," Flick noted. "The quality there is amazing; also the stadium there is great in Newcastle.
"I followed them in the last years. What they are doing is really good. The coaching staff have done an unbelievable job. We are looking forward to playing in Newcastle."