October was bound to be a difficult month for FC Barcelona. Six matches in just 16 days are going to put Hansi Flick's squad to the test, with La Liga matches against Getafe, Real Betis, Real Madrid, and Alavés sandwiching Champions League clashes with Galatasaray and Paris Saint-Germain, which makes managing Raphinha particularly important.
Barcelona Managing The Striker
The Brazilian has proven to be one of the most crucial players on the team this season, but having come back from international duty with muscle pain, there is no justification for Flick to risk anything. Even though tests revealed that the Brazilian had no injury problems, Raphinha has been training alone, and his absence from the game against Getafe is becoming more and more likely. If Raphinha is unavailable, Gabriel Jesus looks like the natural choice.
The Brazilian forward has already shown he can make an immediate impact, for he has scored twice in only 41 minutes this season for Barcelona, with goals scored against Racing Santander and Feyenoord. In addition to that, he also skipped the international break because he was not chosen for the Brazil squad; hence, he had more time to condition his body for the grueling weeks ahead. For Flick, all of these factors make him believe that Jesus is the most sensible option.
Anthony Gordon: A Fascinating Alternative.
Gordon, who since his entry into the Barcelona side has played almost exclusively on the left wing, gives Flick the possibility of being moved to the center, with Lamine Yamal on the opposite flank. In addition, he enters this period in outstanding international form, having scored in each of his last four matches for England. Still, there is another name to which Barcelona fans should turn their attention: Hamza Abdelkarim.
The Future Of Egyptian Soccer
The 18-year-old Egyptian has already come to Flick's attention. Abdelkarim was Barcelona's leading scorer during preseason with four goals and has since made his competitive debut. During the latest international break, he scored his first senior international goal for Egypt.
There are evident dangers in pushing Abdelkarim into the midst of this very heavy program. His experience in the first team is very limited, and for him to replace one of the best-value players in the team when they are playing against the very best opposition is a major risk. But there is an equally compelling argument for giving him minutes.
Barcelona did not give Abdelkarim a contract that runs to the year 2030 by chance. He has already demonstrated his goal-scoring skills, mobility, and potential in the youth set-up, and this pre-season he has also proved he is capable of competing for a place in the first team. Flick does not necessarily need Abdelkarim to replace Raphinha outright. In October, he could introduce him gradually, perhaps off the bench against Getafe before considering a larger role within the rotation for the future.
Gabriel Jesus might be a likely one. Or Gordon might be an exciting one. Besides, if Barcelona really wants to know what they have in Abdelkarim, this is the right time to know it.
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