The line-up announced by the club had suggested a completely different scenario. On paper, Raphinha was supposed to occupy the left flank and Ademi the right, while Gordon could have appeared as an out-and-out striker.
Flick had other plans. The German coach positioned Raphinha in a deeper role and handed the left flank to the new arrival, his natural home with both Newcastle and England. From there he can exploit one of his most notable strengths: the ability to receive the ball in an open position, take on the defender, and then drive inside.
Gordon wasted no time proving it. In the third minute, he made his first dangerous move, collecting the ball on the left flank, beating his defender and reaching the goal line before pulling back a pass that came within centimetres of finding either Raphinha or Eric García.
The pattern kept repeating through the first part of the match, with the England player forever popping up on the left. He did not simply hug the touchline, though. He would receive the ball in an open position and drive inside, hunting the space between the full-back and the inside midfielder, forcing the defence into decisions.
In the tenth minute, he did it again. Another burst, this time a dribble inside that put Sinaya on the ground, one of the players who suffered greatly against the England winger's persistence.
Gordon finished that attack with a shot over the crossbar. Shortly afterwards he surfaced once more and swung in a cross looking for Fermín, but the ball fell short.
Barcelona were clearly leaning on their new winger through that spell, and it was no coincidence. Gordon offered one of their most dangerous attacking outlets, and every touch he took carried the promise of something happening.
