As Xavi emptied his bench and injected more recognisable names in the second half,Barca came back into it,and wunderkind Ansu Fati’s 77th-minute strike got them the result everyone had come to see - although Kuol nearly ruined it for them,hitting the woodwork in the dying minutes after another scintillating run.

“I have to congratulate them because they played so good,so good,” Xavi said of the All Stars. “I think it was the main goal that everybody enjoyed[it],especially the supporters. Tactically,very good. They played really well,defend really well,they create chances in transition and the counter-attack,we suffered a lot,especially in the second half. Technically,so good. It’s a good level today.”

This was exhibition football at its finest:big names,no real stakes,a handful of exciting moments,and a huge crowd whose interest dipped in and out. Whenever Barcelona weren’t attacking,the masses sat deathly silent. Then people started shining the torches on their phones midway through the first half,turning Sydney’s Olympic stadium into a galaxy of stars. The first Mexican wave soon followed. It happens. But over the course of the match,you could almost feel the fans who came for Barcelona warming to the All Stars.

Dwight Yorke,in his first professional match as a manager,set up the All Stars to frustrate - a taste of what might be to come when he takes the reins of Macarthur FC in the coming weeks. They sat in a low block,forcing Barca out wide,and posing the occasional threat on the counter.

For the most part,it worked,and on another night,he might have claimed the prized scalp of Xavi in his coaching debut. The fervent hope for the A-League is that the Barca diehards who were almost left shattered come back for another look next season.

“I’m sure that everybody has probably left here pretty pleased,” Yorke said.

“Maybe from our point of view we’re disappointed with the fact we didn’t win the game,but overall,I think it was a terrific performance from the players. For 70,000 people to turn up,as the head coach in my first debut,it was simply amazing. I didn’t think it was going to be this good.

“You can see the talent is on show. A lot of people didn’t see these players[before],they had a great platform,and hence that’s why the fans need to come out and support the A-League a little bit more. After that kind of performance tonight,surely that should be encouraged for every Australian fan around the place to make sure they come out and support their local team?”

Watch football’s biggest superstars in theUEFA Champions League andUEFA Europa Conference League Finals this May on Stan Sport.Liverpool v Real Madrid in Champions League – ad-free,live and on demand on Stan Sport in 4K and 9GEM on Sunday 29 May from 4:30am AEST.Roma v Feyenoord in the Conference League Final (May 26) – all matches streaming ad-free,live and on demand,only onStan Sport from 4:30am AEST.