Anthony Gordon faces tough review from Spanish media as Hansi Flick shares his thoughts
Anthony Gordon has had a strong start at Barcelona, but he recently got some honest feedback after a tough game.
Gordon, who joined from Newcastle for £69 million, has been a big hit in Catalonia—he’s already made four assists and helped the team have a perfect start to the season. The fans and players have quickly taken a liking to the England international, with some saying their love for him this soon is pretty unusual. Barcelona’s sporting director Deco is also very happy with what Gordon has brought to the team, especially since they chose him over Marcus Rashford.
However, in his sixth game for Barcelona, things looked a bit different. Barca won 4-2 away at Levante, with young star Lamine Yamal scoring twice. Gordon started on the left but was taken off in the 67th minute. Another new signing, Karim Adeyemi, scored his second goal in a week and, according to El Nacional, could be a strong challenger for Gordon’s spot after Gordon had a quieter game.
The report said Gordon’s performance “wasn’t bad,” but “too quiet for what’s expected.” Levante defended very deep, so Gordon struggled to find space to use his speed. Still, he worked hard, helped press the opponents, and showed commitment, though he lacked some spark in attack. Adeyemi, on the other hand, showed more skill in tight spaces and scored a great goal, making a strong case for starting ahead of Gordon in the next big match.
SPORT gave Gordon a 5/10 rating, noting again how he struggled against Levante’s defense and lacked that spark, but praised his support to the team. Adeyemi got an 8, showing he’s gaining ground. So far in La Liga, Gordon has created 10 chances but hasn’t scored yet, and he didn’t get a shot on goal in the latest win.
There’s no rush from coach Hansi Flick, though. He feels Gordon is adapting well and is happy with what he brings to the team. Flick said, “Anthony gives us a lot, especially when he gets the ball. He controls it well and passes to teammates to keep possession. Of course, he wants to score soon, which would help him settle fully. But I’m happy with him and really appreciate what he does.”
Barcelona are back in action on Wednesday, hosting Racing Santander at the Nou Camp.