The Finn is not the first manager to have been met by calls for his resignation after a defeat by Barcelona. But usually it is the person occupying the Real Madrid hot-seat who learns that coming off worst against the Catalan side is simply not acceptable. Paatelainen awoke yesterday morning to the news that he is already being targeted by some Hibs fans, for whom a thrashing against Barcelona won't do.

In truth, the grumbling was heard last season, as Hibs dropped to sixth in the league after a late flurry of red cards, though not form. Paatelainen, who replaced John Collins as manager only seven months ago, is still struggling to impose his will on the Hibs team, and cut a frustrated figure on Thursday night. Even he could not be pacified by a reminder that it was Barcelona, not Brechin, his team had toiled against. He said he had felt "lonely" on the sidelines, and the comment perhaps revealed he is aware of the dissatisfaction in the stands. There have been few glimpses of encouragement of late for Hibs fans, many of whom anticipate a long season ahead.

Thursday night's 6-0 win for Barcelona against Hibs did indeed prove one thing – they are operating at a level far, far above the Easter Road team. But it was still possible to pass some sort of judgment on Hibs. They looked disorganised in defence and out-of-touch up front. But it is pointless to think this game reflected the true state of the nation at Easter Road at present, and the elimination from the Intertoto Cup against Elfsborg offered another possibly misleading reading. The Swedes were a decent side and in the midst of their league season, while Hibs were simply getting back into the groove. Judging from the display at Murrayfield, this is still some way off, though Paatelainen promised that everything will be alright when the league campaign begins next month.

"People can start judging us on August 9th," added Dean Shiels on Thursday night, and Paatelainen will be aware that this is when it will begin to get serious for him. He will hope to have added to the squad by then, with a striker and creative midfield player the most glaring additions required. Even against Barcelona it was obvious that more cutting edge is needed. A missed open-goal is a missed open-goal whether the opponents are Barcelona or East Stirlingshire. Steven Fletcher could not look to use the stellar opponents to excuse his aberration in the second-half, although he did look to have already picked up a knock. The real testing grounds are to come, with Kilmarnock to be faced on the opening day.

Paatelainen will need to show more tactical acumen than when allowing the young Paul Hanlon to be pushed to the extremes, both in a mental as well as physical sense on Thursday. The young left-back experienced a torrid time and was only saved by the half-time substitution of Lionel Messi, his chief tormentor. It might have been wiser – as well as more kind – to have deployed the experienced Ian Murray at left- back, with Messi's wiles hardly a secret.

There is some good news for Hibs, however. Gerard Pique has given Fletcher a ringing endorsement. The former Manchester United centre-half, who was up against Fletcher on Thursday, believes the striker can make the grade in La Liga, with Real Madrid reported to be interested in the 21-year-old. However, Pique advised Fletcher to remain with Hibs for the foreseeable future in order to complete his footballing education.

"I met Steven Fletcher at the Under 19s European Championship final, when Scotland played Spain, and he is a very good player," he said. "

I think he can make the step up to La Liga but for the moment I think he has to stay and play in Scotland longer and learn more about his game. After that, he can definitely go to La Liga and succeed."