Overview
- Hansi Flick has publicly endorsed Raphinha to lead the line and has been training him to play as a mobile No. 9 rather than using the change as a last‑minute fix.
- Raphinha has scored three times in Barcelona’s opening matches and started centrally in the 2-0 win over Athletic, where the side created 4.23 expected goals but finished only two.
- Sporting director Deco and Flick agreed on an internal contingency that prioritises waiting on Julián Álvarez while using existing forwards instead of rushing for another traditional centre‑forward.
- Barcelona have kept the Alvarez pursuit open until the transfer deadline while Atlético and other clubs have signalled resistance, leaving the deal unresolved as of the latest reports.
- Analysts welcome the financial upside if the experiment holds but warn Raphinha’s movement may not suit all match situations and Barcelona will still need different striker profiles in some games.