Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has hinted at leaving young Egyptian striker Hamza Abdelkarim out of the starting line-up for the La Liga match against Valencia, despite admitting that new Brazilian arrival Gabriel Jesus is not yet ready.
Barcelona travel to the Mestalla to face Valencia tomorrow, Sunday, in the fourth round of La Liga. They have their sights set on taking sole possession of top spot after rivals Real Madrid lost 0-1 to Real Betis yesterday, Friday.
Jesus is not in full readiness
Flick used today's press conference to reveal the situation of Jesus, who joined the team from Arsenal last Tuesday. He confirmed the forward is still far from fully ready but can play a limited role against Valencia.
As highlighted by the newspaper "AS", he explained: "Of course, he is not 100% ready, but he is prepared to play for a few minutes. We will see how the match goes. It is good to see the way he has worked and how calm he is."
Raphinha: the best option at centre-forward
The German coach also ruled out relying on Hamza Abdelkarim in the striker's position. He stressed that the other Brazilian, Raphinha, represents the best solution at present, given his movement and his ability to lead the press.
"At this moment, I think he (Raphinha) is the best option," he said. "He initiates the dynamism of the play and the press and gives us speed. For me, he is the best option we have in this position at the moment."
Raphinha has scored 5 goals in the three matches Barcelona have played in La Liga this season, more than any other player in the competition.
Hamza, by contrast, managed only a 4-minute appearance during the recent Rayo Vallecano match.
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Flick also spoke about Jules Koundé, expressing his confidence in the defender's ability to play in more than one position despite not starting the season in the first eleven.
"He is an incredibly professional player," he said. "He has not started the matches, but that represents a challenge for him. His task is to reach his best level, as he was in the 2024-2025 season. He can play well in both positions, but as is always the case, the team is the most important thing."
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