Forget Plan A or Plan B: Raphinha is making Barcelona’s Plan C look even better

Forget Plan A or Plan B: Raphinha is making Barcelona’s Plan C look even better Barcelona entered the season with a major question hanging over the centre-forward position: who would eventually replace Robert Lewandowski? Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, Barcelona’s Plan A and Plan B, were among the names discussed as potential long-term answers.  Both represented the kind of high-quality forwards Barcelona wanted to take over from the Polish striker and provide Hansi Flick with another world-class attacking option. But a month and a half into the 2026/27campaign, Barcelona seem to have an answer they never expected to find . Plan C: Raphinha. The Brazilian was not supposed to be the solution to the club’s succession problem at No. 9.  And yet, his performances in the opening weeks of the season have been so strong that it is difficult to imagine either Alvarez or Lautaro improving what Barcelona are currently getting from him. Raphinha changed the equation Barcelona’s interest in finding Lewandowski’s long-term replacement made sense.  Julian Alvarez may not have produced the same numbers as Raphinha. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) With Ferran Torres also moving to Paris Saint-Germain, the club practically had no natural number 9 in the roster. On that note, Alvarez would have offered a proven goalscorer capable of playing as a centre-forward while also moving across the attack.  Lautaro, meanwhile, has developed into one of Europe’s most complete strikers at Inter and would have represented another high-level option. On paper, either signing would have strengthened Barcelona, but the problem is that football does not happen on paper. Raphinha has completely changed the conversation. Instead of being the player most likely to lose his place if another attacker arrived, he has become one of the most important pieces of Flick’s team. His goals, movement, pressing and ability to attack spaces from central areas have given Barcelona a dimension they may not have anticipated when planning for Lewandowski’s eventual succession, creating an obvious question: would Alvarez or Lautaro really have produced more? Simply put, there is no way to know, but judging purely from the opening weeks of this season, it would be extremely difficult for either player to replicate the level Raphinha is currently providing. To put it in perspective, Raphinha has scored 14 goals and three assists in a mere eight matches, while the Argentine duo has combined for four goals and two assists. Now, we do have to factor in the difficulties Alvarez went through in the initial weeks of the campaign, which is why it is understandable that he only has a solitary assist this season. Julian Alvarez transfer could have changed everything Alvarez only has one assist to his name this season. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Barcelona’s pursuit of Alvarez is interesting when viewed through Raphinha’s current form. Had the Argentine arrived, the entire attacking structure could have looked different.  Alvarez would presumably have demanded a prominent role, while Raphinha’s position in the team would have become far less secure. The consequences would not have stopped there. Flick would have had another major decision to make regarding his attacking hierarchy, while players such as Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi could also have seen their opportunities reduced. Most importantly, Barcelona may never have discovered this version of Raphinha. The Brazilian entered the campaign without the same certainty around his place that he enjoys now. His future had previously been questioned, with Saudi Arabian interest even emerging around him. Instead of leaving, he stayed and produced the kind of football that has made those previous doubts look increasingly strange. That is the irony of Barcelona’s transfer planning. The player who looked most vulnerable when the club considered adding another star to the attack has arguably become the one Barcelona would least want to lose. Lautaro Martinez would face the same problem Lautaro would have presented a slightly different proposition, but the fundamental issue would remain. The Argentine is an established centre-forward and would have given Barcelona another natural No. 9. However, Flick has shown that he does not necessarily need a traditional striker to get the best from his attack. Raphinha’s ability to start centrally while still drifting into wider areas has allowed Barcelona to maintain their attacking fluidity without sacrificing goal threat. That makes his current role particularly valuable. A new signing might have offered greater certainty about one position, but there is no guarantee that the arrival of Alvarez or Lautaro would have produced better football.  It could instead have forced Flick to alter a structure that is currently working extremely well. A familiar situation Raphinha has gone on to defy the odds. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images) The Raphinha situation is not entirely new, as Barcelona experienced something similar with Nico Williams last year.  The Athletic Club winger’s potential arrival was widely viewed as a move that would strengthen the attack alongside Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski.  On that note, Raphinha appeared to be the obvious candidate to lose minutes if that deal went through. Nico never arrived, and Raphinha stayed. Since then, the Brazilian has transformed his standing within the squad. The same could now be said about the centre-forward position. Barcelona may still need to plan for the post-Lewandowski era, and eventually signing a specialist striker could become unavoidable.  However, there is no urgency to force a solution when Raphinha is delivering at this level. Perhaps Alvarez would have succeeded in Barcelona. Perhaps Lautaro would have done the same. We will never know. What is easier to see is that neither could have guaranteed a better outcome than the one Barcelona are enjoying with Raphinha.