The 2026-2027 LaLiga season kicked off around Spain and Hansi Flick's Barcelona are the current Spanish title holders. After claiming the domestic league the past two seasons since the German manager took over the Catalan side, the main target of the former Bayern Munich head coach is to improve the team's performance in Europe. In his first season, Barcelona were eliminated by Inter in the semifinals of the Champions League, while last season they were knocked out by Spanish side Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals.
With those setbacks in mind, can we expect more from Barcelona in the upcoming European campaign? However, they are still yet to sign their starting center striker, which remains a key area to address. The Blaugrana made some changes in their roster in the first part of the summer transfer window but so far have failed to replace their starting striker, Robert Lewandowski, who left as a free agent and joined MLS side Chicago Fire this summer.
With not long to go before the end of the transfer session, Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco are still working to find the right player for their attacking squad. The main question heading into the new season is, can Barcelona achieve greater success in Europe despite still failing to sign a proven central striker? Watch Barcelona all season long in the UEFA Champions League live on Paramount+.
Barcelona made some big signings ahead of the summer, as Anthony Gordon joined from Newcastle for around $80 million and Karim Adeyemi joined from Borussia Dortmund for around $20 million. These signings strengthen Flick's options on the wings, allowing him to rotate his players more effectively between league and cup competitions, especially with Ferran Torres now at PSG and Marcus Rashford's loan move ending. However, the signing of Rodri was arguably the most important addition.
The captain of the Spanish national team, who lifted the 2026 World Cup, is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, especially after winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Rodri ultimately decided to join Barcelona despite also holding talks with Real Madrid, something that was also confirmed by Jose Mourinho. During the recent exclusive interview with El Chiringuito, Mourinho claimed he "had doubts" about Rodri after speaking with him.
"I spoke with him a couple of times. Real Madrid made him a very good offer. I think the relationship between Real Madrid and City is very good.
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