According to The Athletic, Barcelona had intentions to sign Álvarez in the summer to strengthen attacking mobility, but now Raphinha's temporary role as striker appears to have achieved this perfectly.

The report quotes: "Everyone always wants a striker who can score 40 goals a year, but I can tell you: this team will not lack goals."

These were the words of Pedri in an interview with Spanish television channel Movistar, speaking about Barcelona's start to their La Liga title defense. Valencia, the team they just defeated, once again fell victim as Flick's side won 5-0.

Barcelona leads La Liga with four wins from four matches, scoring 17 goals. What's truly impressive is not just how they play, but the manner in which they win.

After failing to sign their desired striker, Álvarez, this summer, Barcelona now operates without a traditional center forward.

Flick's restructured attack features Raphinha as the center forward, with Lamine Yamal and Anthony Gordon on the wings. Against Valencia, Fermín, Pedri, and Rodri controlled play from midfield, while Olmo and Bernal came off the bench.

Adeyemi and Jesus also came off the bench, with the latter joining from Arsenal on the final day of the transfer window.

Yamal opened the scoring in the 6th minute with a delicate, beautiful chip. Fermín, Raphinha, Pedri, and Yamal then added four more goals as Barcelona produced a masterclass in coordinated attacking play. The team's movement, chemistry between players, and their intense high pressing proved overwhelming for any opponent this season.

To be fair, Valencia are in dire straits at the moment, with their players struggling to maintain shape throughout matches. During the game, Valencia fans called for the owner's departure and the manager's dismissal.

But Valencia is not the first team Barcelona have demolished this season, and likely won't be the last.

Flick took over as Barcelona manager in May 2024. Measured by expected goals, two of his seven La Liga matches with Barcelona have featured the highest quality chances, both occurring early this season. Barcelona accumulated 4.38 expected goals in their 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao and 4.23 in their 5-0 away victory over Elche.

While the sample size remains too small for definitive conclusions, Barcelona's average expected goals this season stands at 3.93. Last season in La Liga, their average was 2.28, and in 2024-25 it was 2.43. Raphinha leads La Liga's scoring chart with 6 goals in 4 rounds, Fermín has scored 4 with 2 assists, and Yamal has finally opened his account with consecutive braces.

Flick said in his post-match press conference: "I'm very satisfied with how we're playing right now. We work very hard and utilize the space in the final third very, very well, and then individual quality converts those chances."

"For me, our plan won't change. We still want a center forward in our lineup. But our attack and midfield have so much quality that many players can score right now."

Barcelona's top priority this summer was always to build an attacking line with high intensity and mobility, which is why they pursued Álvarez. Flick and Deco didn't just want a static, powerful number nine; they wanted movement and unpredictability, believing both are key to the team's development.

Now, with Raphinha playing as a striker, Barcelona possesses these qualities. The newly appointed captain has completely adapted to this new role. He can drop into midfield, acting as a deep-lying playmaker and threading long passes to wingers like Gordon and Yamal as they push forward, before darting into the box whenever opportunities arise.

Fermín is also in peak form, and it's hard to imagine Barcelona selling him at a fair price next summer. His partnership with Yamal on the right flank is nearly unstoppable. He's thriving in the expansive spaces opened up by this new system.

Flick's substitute bench this season also differs significantly from last year. Both Adeyemi and Jesus have contributed, with the former Arsenal striker nearly scoring at one point. Olmo provided two assists after coming on with roughly half an hour remaining.

Álvarez would certainly be an excellent addition, but with the team performing at such a high level, Barcelona fans won't lose sleep over it. The last time Barcelona scored more goals in their opening four league matches was in the 1950-51 season.

Flick added: "What I see from these players, even with the return of World Cup champions, is their desire to achieve even more."

"We must be clear that this season is very long, and it will be very difficult to achieve all the objectives we've set, but we will certainly try."

"We're a very young team, and I think we've made the right signings. This is just the beginning."

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