Barcelona debate No 9 role after opening win and Lewandowski exit

Barcelona's opening game of the season has reignited a familiar debate in Spain: how should the club replace Robert Lewandowski, and do they need to do it immediately? The discussion has resurfaced even though the former striker left nearly two months ago, with the issue of the No 9 role still unresolved.

Life after Lewandowski

Lewandowski ended his four-year spell at Barcelona this summer after his contract expired and moved to MLS side Chicago Fire. His departure was part of a wider reshaping of the attack, with Ferran Torres also leaving for Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona then began looking for a new central striker. Julian Alvarez emerged as one of the main targets, but a deal has proved difficult because Atletico Madrid are not willing to let him go easily. That has forced the club to consider alternative solutions as the market challenge becomes clearer.

Opening result fuels the argument

What has changed the tone of the conversation is Barcelona's first performance of the new campaign. Hansi Flick's side won 5-0 away at Elche despite lining up without an established, traditional centre-forward.

Rather than relying on one focal point, the goals were shared across the team. Raphinha scored twice, Fermin Lopez added two more and Karim Adeyemi also found the net. That spread of attacking output has led some in the Spanish media to question whether spending heavily on a specialist striker is the right move.

Two schools of thought in Barcelona

The debate now appears to be split between two clear positions. One view is that Barcelona must do everything possible to sign a high-level successor to Lewandowski, a forward capable of leading the line and delivering in the biggest moments.

The other is more cautious. If there is no truly elite option available, the argument goes, Barcelona should avoid committing huge money simply to fill the vacancy on paper. The display against Elche strengthened that case, showing that Flick's side may be able to generate enough goals collectively, at least in domestic competition.

• Lewandowski has left Barcelona for Chicago Fire.
• Ferran Torres has departed for PSG.
• Julian Alvarez was among Barcelona's main striker targets.
• Barcelona opened the season with a 5-0 win at Elche.

Champions League remains the real measure

For all the optimism created by the opening result, the bigger test is still expected to come in the Champions League. In Spain, the feeling is that Barcelona may have enough attacking quality to cope in La Liga without a classic No 9, but European competition places far greater demands on a team.

According to Cadena SER, there remains a belief inside the club that a top-class striker is needed if Barcelona are to challenge seriously for the Champions League. Flick is also said to have indicated the need for that kind of reinforcement as far back as January.

That is why Lewandowski's name continues to surface. His exit did not just remove a goalscorer; it left behind a strategic question about how Barcelona want to build their attack. One emphatic win has not settled the issue, but it has made the debate sharper than ever.