Raphinha’s form has relegated any possible move for Julian Alvarez and Victor Osimhen
Barcelona sporting director Deco has defended the club’s decision to avoid signing a traditional No.9 this summer, pointing to Raphinha’s sensational start to the season as evidence that Hansi Flick’s system can thrive without one.
The Brazilian has taken up the centre-forward role following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, scoring eight goals and providing an assist in five competitive matches.
Barcelona reject traditional No.9 obsession
Barcelona were heavily linked with a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez during the summer, while Victor Osimhen was reportedly considered as an alternative.
Neither deal materialised, but Deco believes the Catalan giants made the right decision by trusting their existing attacking options.
“The discussion about finding a number 9 is a bit long,” explained Deco, adding, “There are few true number 9s. There’s Haaland, and we had the best, Robert. Like Luis Suárez, too. There are few. In my time, there was Eto’o, but he wasn’t a pure number 9 because he moved around a lot, like Raphinha.”
The Barcelona chief argued that modern football has moved away from rigid centre-forward roles, with Paris Saint-Germain among the clubs succeeding without a conventional striker.
“If you have a number 9, it dictates the style of play, and here our coach has a clear idea of how we want to play.”
Raphinha gives Barcelona reason to celebrate
Raphinha’s early-season numbers have made Barcelona’s decision considerably easier to defend. The winger has adapted brilliantly to the central role, with his movement and finishing providing Flick with another solution in attack.
“Now there’s PSG, who don’t have a true number 9,” Deco said. “We shouldn’t be obsessed with this. Right now, we don’t need a goalscorer because Raphinha, with the coach’s vision, is doing very well.”
Deco also pointed to Gabriel Jesus’ ability to link play and Hamza’s more traditional presence in the box as further attacking options.
For Barcelona, Raphinha’s blistering form has turned what could have been a summer weakness into a reason for optimism. After missing out on Alvarez and Osimhen, the Blaugrana appear increasingly comfortable with the decision to back Flick’s system rather than spend heavily on another superstar striker.