JOSE FONTE, Yannick Carrasco and Nicolas Gaitan began life in the Chinese Super League with a dreadful 8-0 thrashing.
Dalian Yifang were expecting big things from the trio after splashing £50million to bring them to the Far East this week.
But an inspired performance from ex-Chelsea star Oscar led to them being taught a harsh lesson by Shanghai SIPG.
Fonte left the Premier League and West Ham for the newly-promoted outfit at the start of last week – although his arrival for £4.4m did not quite capture the imagination of everyone.
As SunSport reported, the 34-year-old Portugal international was only greeted by ONE fan at the airport after touching down in Asia.
And his maiden bow proved to be just as much as a damp squib as Oscar needed less than a minute to open the scoring for last season’s runners-up in the title race.
With the £44m attacking duo of Carrasco and Gaitan, signed from Atletico Madrid, which could cost double that under new tax laws if the club post a financial loss for the year, Yifang were hopeful of getting back into the clash.
But the Belgian and Argentine stars must have been left wondering what they had let themselves in for as they witnessed a real horror show from Fonte and their defence.
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Oscar and a penalty from his fellow countryman Hulk, formerly of Porto and Zenit, ensured that they trailed by three at the break.
And whatever words were said at half time apparently fell on deaf ears as Shanghai produced a second half avalanche of goals.
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Chinese midfielder Wu Lei helped himself to a hat-trick as Oscar also claimed his third of the game before Lu Wanjun added the finishing touch late on – after Fonte had been subbed off.
And that was enough to leave Yifang firmly at thew foot of the table after the opening day of the season.
Things are not going to get any easier either, as next week they face a daunting trip to 2015 Asian Cup champions Guangzhou R&F.
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