Barcelona’s new signings raise the stakes in battle for left-wing starting spot

Barcelona’s new signings raise the stakes in battle for left-wing starting spot FC Barcelona produced a spectacular second-half performance to secure a 4-1 victory away to Galatasaray and record their second win in the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League. The emphatic result in Istanbul also confirmed that competition for the left-wing position is reaching its peak. Hansi Flick has favoured Anthony Gordon as his starter on Tuesday night, but the Englishman cannot afford to relax with Karim Adeyemi pushing hard for a place in the starting lineup. Both wingers scored against Galatasaray, raising the level of competition in a battle that could prove invaluable for Barcelona and their German coach. Gordon finds his scoring touch Gordon opened his Barcelona account against Getafe last weekend and found the net again in the Champions League on Tuesday night. He has now scored in consecutive matches, silencing critics who had hailed his defensive work and pressing but questioned his lack of goals. Gordon has found his goalscoring boots. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) The England international is beginning to turn the positive impressions from his early appearances for Barcelona into tangible numbers. However, his performance was not without its frustrations as he was guilty of wasting one or two golden chances to add to his tally. Yamal also provided the assist for his goal. Gordon finished the match with five shots, four of which were on target. He completed all 20 of his passes, recording a 100% passing accuracy, lost possession six times and made two recoveries. In all, the 25-year-old winger has now registered two goals and five assists from nine matches this season. Adeyemi makes an immediate impact off the bench Adeyemi replaced Gordon in the second half and wasted little time in making his mark. The German winger scored Barcelona’s fourth goal with a superbly placed shot across the goalkeeper. With that strike, the ex-Borussia Dortmund man took his tally to four goals since joining the Catalan club – two of those have come in the Champions League. In addition, he also has three assists. Despite playing fewer minutes than his fellow summer signing, Adeyemi attempted four shots, with two on target. Off to a bright start. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) He completed 15 of his 17 passes, achieving 88% accuracy, and lost possession five times. His contribution once again demonstrated how much he can offer Barcelona, even when introduced from the bench. A battle that benefits Barcelona and Flick Gordon and Adeyemi have turned their competition into one of the most intriguing individual battles of Barcelona’s season. The fight for a starting place on the left wing is more open than ever, with both players living up to the expectations that accompanied their arrivals. Their pace and ability to break through opposition defences have added another dimension to Barça’s attacking play. Both are also contributing goals and assists, making them valuable options for Flick as the season progresses. With fixtures coming thick and fast, having two wingers performing at such a high level gives the Catalans an important advantage. For Flick, deciding who starts on the left will remain a difficult call . For Barcelona, however, it is precisely the kind of problem every manager wants to have.