Barcelona lost their two recognised centre forwards over the summer and have yet to replace them.
Veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski left for Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire a few weeks before his 38th birthday, while Ferran Torres joined Paris Saint-Germain a few weeks after scoring the goal that won the World Cup for Spain, not that every Barca fan was celebrating.
Marcus Rashford, who scored 14 goals on loan from Manchester United, didn’t do enough to make Barcelona’s sporting director Deco want to sign him permanently.
The Catalans do have Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, while Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez can operate as forwards. Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon were added to the squad over the summer, but none are centre forwards.
The man who is expected to come in is Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez. The brilliant Argentine told his club that he wanted to leave to pursue his dream move (to Barcelona) in the summer, but Atletico have so far refused to sell him. His own fans booed him loudly when Atletico’s season began at home at the weekend.
despite a bright start to the season, in which Barca won a bright start to the season, where Barca won their opening games, 5-0 at Elche and 2-0 at home to Athletic Club on Thursday, Barca want Alvarez.
There may be more departures. Left-back Alejandro Balde, 22, has lost his place in the side to fellow Masia graduate Xavi Espart, 19. The Catalans have also re-signed Joao Cancelo, this time in a permanent move from Al Hilal. He’s likely to be the first-choice left-back. Manchester United are among the clubs interested in taking Balde on loan, but Barcelona, who were open to a sale and not a loan, have changed their stance.
Boss Hansi Flick had a chat with Balde at the weekend and accepted that Balde was prepared to fight for his place. Balde is excellent going forward and has five seasons in the first team, but has also lost his place in the Spain team – unlike several of his teammates who are now World Cup winners.
Barca president Joan Laporta decided against allowing Barcelona’s numerous World Cup winners to be celebrated on the pitch before the game. World Cup winners or not, Spain’s national team is not as celebrated among many Barca fans. There was tension around Thursday’s game after a young Barca fan was attacked by police at the opening game of the season in Elche. His crime was holding a Catalan independence flag, and there were protests outside Camp Nou over his rough treatment. Barca have said they will provide him with legal assistance.
Catalan independence flags proliferated around the stadium on Thursday, and the Catalan national anthem was sung by fans in a stadium, which is still a building site and will be until all 105,000 seats are in place next year. Barcelona are set to move back to the city’s Olympic Stadium at the start of next season while a new Camp Nou roof is fitted.
For now, Camp Nou’s capacity is 62,000, and high demand for tickets means high prices for one-off visitors – an average of €200 before Thursday’s game, well out of the reach of working-class Catalans.
Those with tickets saw much to like. New signing Gordon, a waif-like live wire, got the crowd up with his twists and turns. He’s a grafter who was applauded when he was substituted after 80 minutes to chants of "Gor-don!", though he’ll be disappointed that his shot was pushed wide after 71 minutes when he was set up by Yamal.
By that time, Barcelona led their Basque visitors 1-0 after Pedri set up captain Raphinha to round Spain’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Unai Simon, in the 38th minute. The Brazilian then stroked the ball into the net as fans sang "Raphinha! Cap-i-tan”.
Barcelona’s entire defence was composed of young academy graduates, but their team was supplemented by stellar talents as the game progressed on a hot August night.
Rodri was introduced to a huge cheer for his debut in the 63rd minute following his move from Manchester City. Spain’s World Cup-winning captain then heard strong anti-Spanish chants that broke out a minute later. Around him, Pedri was immense.
Barcelona introduced five second-half substitutes against an Athletic side who lost their opening league game at home to Sevilla.
Rodri, Dani Olmo, Jules Kounde, Adeyemi and Cancelo were also brought on. It worked as Barcelona’s slender one-goal lead was doubled by Fermin Lopez after 82 minutes – eight minutes after the Basques, who are starting life without legendary manager Ernesto Valverde, hit the post.
Lopez’s goal was an easy tap-in after a defensive error from Aymeric Laporte gifted him the ball on a night where the home team had 73 per cent of possession and 21 shots to Athletic’s four.
Barcelona have won both their opening league games, have scored seven and are yet to concede a goal. It’s the perfect start given players are still returning to fitness after the World Cup. They’re at home again on Monday against Rayo Vallecano. Coach Hansi Flick has won the league in each of his first two seasons. He has an excellent squad, but the addition of Alvarez will make it one capable of winning a first Uefa Champions League since 2015.
