According to Sport, Barcelona failed to sign Alvarez this summer, but Flick has accepted Deco's proposed adjustments, and the team is starting with Raphinha as a false 9.

With the summer transfer window closed, Barcelona was unable to sign Alvarez. Atletico Madrid's reluctance to sell their star player to a direct competitor is entirely understandable. However, their exaggerated reaction to Barcelona's offer is enough to make one wave a white flag, as if they themselves wouldn't act in the same way. This story doesn't seem to have reached its final chapter yet.

To avoid misinterpreting the article's stance, let's put the title aside for now; signing Julian would have been good news for Barcelona. Seeing the team's current pace, it's easy to imagine the Argentine playing at a high level with so many good players around him. The worst part for him is that he must be imagining this scenario himself. That being said, no one needs to panic. Stubborn reality is at play.

Hansi Flick is German, and from a football education perspective, he is accustomed to traditional center-forwards. With Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, he would feel secure. As for the false 9, that is, the role that is not very present, creates space for teammates, confuses opposing center-backs, and ultimately disrupts their positioning, the Barcelona coach has never been fully convinced. Last season, Olmo occasionally tried this position, but very rarely.

Under Deco's correct guidance, Flick had no choice but to accept the challenge. At the beginning of the new season, Raphinha was placed at the forefront of a more direct Barcelona attack than ever before. In three games, Barcelona scored 12 goals, 5 of which came from the Barcelona captain. This means that the false 9 scheme has brought success both collectively and individually. More importantly, this scheme also allows the coach to maintain the team's identity during the phases without the ball, defending through suffocating pressing, and Raphinha is the leader of all actions.

The connection between Barcelona's No. 11 and the German coach is magical. As for Yamal, readers might recall that last season we repeatedly expressed our wish to see this No. 10 come into the middle more often. In fact, little needs to be said; the truth is, whenever he gets close to the edge of the box, he can create danger, even scoring directly. His second goal against Rayo Vallecano on Monday had a Messi-esque quality.

Undoubtedly, that day will come. Because Raphinha won't always stay at his peak, and because football is so capricious, the ball's most comfortable position will ultimately be at Yamal's feet. Currently, the Raphinha plan is successful. How long it will last could be a few rounds, or it could be an entire season. Because when the player from Rocafonda is on one side, and Gordon or Adeyemi is on the other, the team plays comfortably. The genius from Rocafonda is only 19, there is still time. Please forgive this bold judgment, if he scored 24 goals and provided 17 assists playing as a right winger last season, then I have no doubt that he can double those numbers playing closer to the goal. There is no need to argue further for now, time will tell.

What really needs to be discussed now is Flick's desire for rock and roll to continue ringing at the Camp Nou. Gordon's arrival clearly replicates Raphinha's characteristics, while Adeyemi is better at one-on-ones, faster, and prefers balls in behind rather than to his feet. Their additions allowed the Brazilian to switch to a false 9 role, also demonstrating the clear thinking of Barcelona's technical department and coaching staff, completing these two signings before August.

As for the forward line, signing Jesus at the last minute was an opportunity at the end of the transfer market. For 10 million euros, his characteristics are easily adaptable to Barcelona's philosophy, and despite suffering a serious injury, he is only 29 years old. If Alvarez wasn't signed, then this move should be pushed through.

With such a high-paced playing style, Barcelona's midfield will have to work overtime. Sprinting forward means that after losing the ball, they must press well to avoid being forced to chase back. Although Flick's Barcelona is very good in this regard, there will be many games during the season where the team will need to distribute energy through control and secure results by retaining possession.

Flick is fortunate that La Masia's education emphasizes both forward defense and positional play through ball possession. In the fundamental midfield positions, Barcelona already has true specialists who are good at organizing and good at setting the pressing line without falling back. Pedri is the unshakeable core, Bernal continues to improve, and Barcelona has also met Rodri. Rodri is a Ballon d'Or winner who has won everything, honed under Guardiola, and possesses the personality to elevate the team's level, while also mentoring young players, especially Bernal. If Bernal keeps his eyes open, takes notes, and fights for every ball in every training session, he will become a legend.

In the midfield, Frenkie de Jong's role also needs to be observed. So far, he is a player highly favored by the coach, but it seems very difficult for him to continue to have the main role he had in the past. His performance, recent injuries, and the arrival of new players have all raised questions about his role. The situation with Fariñas is similar; he has been promoted to the first team wearing the historically significant No. 4 jersey, but he clearly seems more like a player to create competition in training rather than playing a more important role in matches.

At the defensive midfield position, Flick even has Gavi. Gavi started the league season but left the squad after getting injured against Athletic Bilbao. His understanding of the team's philosophy, strong commitment, and good connection with the coach will also lead us to see him sometimes in the attacking midfield position. That is the natural position for Fermín and Olmo, two excellent players destined to become key pieces for the team. Against back-and-forth games, Barcelona fans will enjoy Fermín's performance; against low blocks, Olmo's talent for playing in tight spaces will be key to breaking down the opponent's defense.

In defense, Barcelona has chosen to maintain the existing framework. Although Cubarsí is still young, he already possesses leadership. Flick wants the team to maintain tactical rigor and responsibility, continuing to push the defensive line as high as possible to benefit from pressing. Of course, this is also one of the fundamental elements of the team's playing philosophy; Barcelona needs the ball on the ground and to move as quickly as possible. Who will win the starting spot next to Cubarsí remains to be seen, whether it's Gerard, Christensen, or even Eric García.

At the full-back positions, Eric García himself seems to be ahead of Kounde and Balde, the latter two perhaps facing their last chance to keep up with the team's evolution. Meanwhile, Cancelo looks like a starter, but he must contend with competition from this season's biggest surprise, the young Espart. Espart, born in 2007, is of the same generation as Yamal, Cubarsí, and Bernal. He played midfield in his youth but now shows strong adaptability as a full-back, even capable of playing any position. Like most La Masia kids, he understands the game well, which allows him to play bravely and accurately. Flick is very satisfied with him. Currently, he is the only non-goalkeeper player to have played every minute of the league.

Without Araujo, Barcelona perhaps should have tried to find a high-quality center-back to enhance the team's security. But in the transfer market, it's difficult to find players accustomed to Barcelona's adventurous football, so the team can only expect the aforementioned players to maintain maximum focus and perform accurately. Deco and Flick decided to build the team from back to front, prioritizing strengthening the attack, while keeping the winter transfer window as a backup option to reinforce the defense if any unforeseen events occur.

Barcelona did sign a goalkeeper, Livaković, to provide backup for Joan García. As for Szczęsny, he is not expected to play a role as a goalkeeper, but Barcelona trusts him to handle the things that happen around the young dressing room. That is a space the coach cannot enter, requiring an experienced and respected voice to occasionally shout a few words. The success of internal order is also related to the smooth progress of the season.

Considering that it's difficult for Florentino and Mourinho's Real Madrid to go three consecutive years without a title, Barcelona must be close to perfect to win a La Liga title again, which might require close to 100 points. This year, more than ever, Barcelona needs to be a team with a clear playing philosophy, while having a superstar serve the collective. Yamal's courage in talking about lifting the Champions League trophy on Tuesday comes from the winning mentality of a very special team. They know they have an opportunity to make history.

The club has done its job, assembling a squad with strong depth, featuring at least 18 first-team level players. Now it's up to the team to validate the external perception with their performance.

Finally, one more thought. La Masia continues to produce talent, but the first team cannot accommodate everyone. In addition to Fati and Casado, several promising players left the club this summer, including Astrálaga, Barberá, Cortés, Cuenca, Fort, Guille, Toni Fernández, Juniént, Kochen, Márquez, Dani Rodríguez, Torrents, and Yakobishvili. There's no need to create melodrama; there's life outside the Camp Nou too. According to football principles, the policy of selling or loaning players is successful for the club. For Barcelona, the first team can only accommodate the best players.

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