Madrid - Just how good will Josep Guardiola's Barcelona side become?

How many trophies will they win this season?

Will they reach the total of 100 goals in La Liga?

These are the questions being asked on Sunday - in Spanish newspapers, radio chats, blogs and bars - after Guardiola's slick side slaughtered hapless Valladolid 6-0 on Saturday.

Barca are the form team of Planet Football at the moment: solid in defence, exquisite in midfield - and devastating in attack.

Valladolid were torn to shreds despite the absence of Andres Iniesta, out for six weeks with a calf injury.

As usual, Guardiola's team set off like an express train, creating three clear chances in the first 10 minutes. The first goal was just a matter of time, so incisive were Barca's attacks.

Samuel Eto'o broke the deadlock after just 12 minutes - then banged in three more goals before half-time, to take his league total to 13.

Eidur Gudjohnsen and Thierry Henry completed the rout in the second half, to the delight of a Camp Nou crowd whose early season doubts about Guardiola and company have been converted into high expectations.

Barca's last four home results have been: 3-2, 6-1, 5-0 and 6-0.

They have scored no less than 34 goals in their first 10 games, the highest total since Real Madrid in the autumn of 1959.

No Liga team has reached the total of 100 goals in a season since Real in 1990, but Barca are now on course to emulate that feat.

"The principal question is," according to Catalan television channel on Sunday morning, "just how good can this team become?"

Daily paper Sport claims on Sunday that the "Pep Team" - named after Guardiola's nickname - could achieve more than the Barca side of Frank Rijkaard that won two leagues and one Champions Cup from 2004 to 2006.

And Sport even dares to suggest that the "Pep Team" could become as elegant and as successful as Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" of the 1990s, in which Guardiola was the midfield lynchpin.

Barca's formidable form is good news, above all, for club president Joan Laporta.

Just two short months ago Laporta seemed to be living on borrowed time, as director after director resigned in protest at his alleged arrogance and ineptitude.

He narrowly survived a vote of confidence - defeat would have forced him to resign - but still seemed to be a dead man walking.

According to Radio Rambla on Sunday, "nobody is talking about Laporta now... Guardiola's success has saved his presidency, for the time being."

Laporta gambled massively on bringing in Guardiola to replace Rijkaard in July, given that "Pep", aged 37, had no top-line coaching experience at all.

It is a gamble that is paying off more handsomely than anyone expected. (dpa)