Flick keeps Raphinha's No. 9 future open after Barcelona down Athletic Club

Hansi Flick declined to confirm whether Raphinha will remain Barcelona’s first-choice No. 9 for the rest of the season, speaking after the Catalans beat Athletic Club 2-0 on Thursday night. The Brazilian opened the scoring to bring his tally to three goals in his opening two appearances of the campaign.

Flick said the priority is for Barcelona’s attacking structure to function effectively, regardless of who fills the central striking role. He acknowledged Raphinha’s suitability for the position — highlighting his dynamism, movement off the ball and pressing intensity — but stopped short of making any long-term commitment.

The German coach also admitted his side lacked composure in certain moments while leading 1-0, and stressed that keeping a clean sheet was as important as the goals scored. Barcelona created numerous chances across the ninety minutes despite converting only twice.

The other talking point from Flick’s post-match comments was the performance of Xavi Espart, who was promoted to the first team ahead of the new season and wore the No. 12 shirt for the occasion. The youngster started on the left wing and drew particular praise for his technical quality and his ability to contribute in both attacking and defensive phases.

Flick described Espart as a fantastic player with significant room to grow, and admitted the teenager’s display on the left surprised him. The coach’s comments pointed to a growing role for Espart in Barcelona’s plans as the season develops.