If Chelsea are to repeat last season’s run to the Carabao Cup final, stiffer competition than Barrow will await, the League Two leaders never standing a chance against a B side as superior as this.
Enzo Maresca made 11 changes, but it was hardly a bargain bin of Blues back-ups. It cost £415.8million to assemble, and naturally, that superiority showed on a night when Christopher Nkunku helped himself to a hat-trick.
Nkunku cost £52m when signed by Chelsea, while there was also £89m Mykhailo Mudryk, £54m Pedro Neto and £46.3m Joao Felix among the starters in attack. And that was before getting to the bench, where there was a certain £50m left back in Ben Chilwell, brought on for the second half to mark his first minutes of the season after ending his exile.
As well as Nkunku’s treble, an unfortunate own goal by Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman and a tap-in by Neto completed the five-star scoreline.
It was to the credit of the visiting supporters that they never stopped singing throughout this footballing lesson at Stamford Bridge, those making the 600-mile round trip perhaps having accepted their fate as soon as the line-ups were confirmed.
Christopher Nkunku (right) made the most of his start against Barrow by netting a hat-trick
Joao Felix’s (right) free-kick deflected off the back of Barrow keeper Paul Farman to give Chelsea a 3-0 advantage at the break
Pedro Neto scored his first goal for the Blues after his £53million switch from Wolves this summer
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall thought he had it in the 62nd minute but his volley was blocked by Ben Jackson. Then came the academy boys, with Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George introduced for the final half hour.
Chelsea insiders find it frustrating how much criticism they receive for bringing in big signings while they have a perfectly good production line at Cobham.
Yet the Premier League club can cite this as proof that they are not disregarding their own, and George ought to have scored when he had only Farman to beat.
In the 69th minute, Kian Spence forced Filip Jorgensen into an acrobatic save when his free-kick looked to be heading into the top-right corner. Jorgensen was then grateful to get his hands on the ball after a goalmouth scramble caused mass confusion.
In the 75th minute, Farman dawdled on the ball. Nkunku seized the opportunity to take it from him and with Barrow’s goalkeeper out of the picture, he claimed ownership of the match ball.
Farman was caught out by Nkunku late on, who calmly turned and converted into an empty net
The Frenchman pulled out his trademark celebration after completing his three-piece at Stamford Bridge
Enzo Maresca’s faith in his much-changed outfit was rewarded with a confident display on Tuesday night
This time, he performed his trademark celebration, pulling a blue balloon out of his sock and blowing it up.
Chelsea reached the final of the Carabao Cup last season, losing to Liverpool. If they are to get to Wembley all over again, they will need to navigate their way beyond stiffer competition than this.