It’s always the beginning of a season that gives fans the first impressions that ultimately shape our outlook for your favorite team, no matter who you support, but the pressure for a great start at the Catalan capital is only that much bigger. Seeing Hansi Flick transform the club has been incredible for anyone who supports the historic club. However, the way the 61-year-old German has found both management and fan support while ignoring the hate is something Hollywood couldn’t script better.
The German Architect
Many in the fanbase and around the world of football have wondered why Barcelona, a team already loaded with offensive firepower, ignores the biggest recurring flaw: the backline. Sometimes the team can dominate a game, and then a sudden brain fog sets in that questions any player's ability. Nonetheless, Barcelona fans must agree on one thing: we are watching an architect at work. Despite prioritizing a reserve goalie and focusing on defense in the offseason, Flick and management stayed true to what built the German’s greatness at Bayern Munich. They played extremely aggressive football, scoring 100 Bundesliga goals and winning the Champions League.
Same Receipt, Just New Names
Many question whether that same high-octane attack will struggle in Champions League play, but one thing is certain at Barcelona: we haven’t seen this kind of firepower since the days of MSN (Messi-Suarez-Neymar). A mentality of “Oh, you scored? That’s nice; here are three of my own,” where a game can flip in moments. Last season showed a glimpse of this, but on top of not addressing issues on defense, fans wondered what the team was doing by signing not just one winger in Anthony Gordon, but also bringing in Karim Adeyemi. It’s completely normal to bring in a winger, but when you have your best player, Lamine Yamal, covering right wing and Raphinha handling striker duties, how will Flick manage the split of playing time? We haven’t even discussed bringing Gabriel Jesus into that picture yet.
However, the Uno card has been flipped, as Adeyemi has looked absolutely incredible out of the gate and fits almost perfectly into that starting lineup. The chemistry between Yamal and Raphinha has been electric, but with Adeyemi in the picture, this team is on a historic offensive pace, outscoring opponents in the past seven games: 33 goals to just 7 conceded. On paper, it doesn’t look obvious that Adeyemi has been dominating the field; in seven games, he has 3 goals and 2 assists, while Gordon hasn’t seen the net yet but has still contributed 4 assists. This may leave Gordon fans wondering where the obvious difference is, but in the latest game against Racing Santander, Adeyemi's style of play stood out and fit exactly what makes this offense so special.
The Different Sauce
Gordon is a high-press player who needs the ball to create chances for others and himself, which he did well at Newcastle, as shown by his 31 goals and 20 assists. Sometimes, when mixing into a lineup with other similar players who require that creativity, we see a disconnect, and that’s where Adeyemi’s style of pace, verticality, and movement fits so well into that Barcelona transition. He understands his role, and it seems that the German has quickly adapted to the left wing, knowing that it’s his best shot at the starting eleven. With Barcelona playing an attacking style, it comes down to how you stop them, because even if you try to shut down the trio, their midfield is loaded. Again, football is a long, grueling calendar, but it has to be on the minds of Barca fans if Laporta, Flick, and crew found a major gem this offseason and what Flick will do on the left wing for the rest of the season. Ride the hot player? Or try to justify the Gordon fee so it doesn't look silly on him or management?
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