The Nico Williams transfer to Barca is the current burning topic in Catalonia. The player has shown keen interest in joining the Blaugrana for the coming season, and fans are filled with excitement. However, with his arrival, Flick will have to change the current team’s shape. Will the German tactician start Nico over Raphinha, or will Lewandowski’s time be affected?
Here’s how Flick could integrate the Spanish winger and why it might reshape Barca’s attack.
Nico Williams Over Raphinha at Left?
Raphinha just had the best season of his career with Barcelona. The Brazilian is an undisputed starter and a leader of the current Barcelona team. Nico Williams and Raphinha play in the same position, and it will be interesting to see how Flick uses them both. Will he give both equal chances, or will one of them get sacrificed and go down the pecking order?
I think Williams offers something Barcelona desperately lack on the left: raw pace, direct dribbling and unpredictability. At 22, he will be Barcelona’s long-term investment, and he must start by playing at his natural position. Raphinha, who is originally a right winger and second striker, has proven he can play out of position. Flick can use Raphinha as an attacking midfielder and integrate both players on the side. Evolution will demand some tough choices, but these will be necessary if the Catalans truly want to dominate Europe.
Lewandowski Might Not Enjoy the Same Playing Time
Barca’s world-class striker, Robert Lewandowski, might also face a decrease in playing time with Nico in the squad. The Polish striker will be 37 in August, and his mobility has been fading with time. However, the player is still in an elite shape and has scored 40 goals last season. Thus, Robert will be a starter, but might not play as much.
Flick could deploy a front three of Raphinha (as a false nine), Yamal, and Nico against low-block or tricky teams. This would inject pace into the Barcelona attack and mirror those of City or Arsenal’s modern systems. Lewy could still be vital off the bench in these situations. However, against teams that require a true poacher, the Pole could always start.
False-Nine Raphinha: Could it Work?
Raphinha surely isn’t Messi, who thrived at false-nine like no other. However, the Brazilian’s creativity and high work rate might make him an intriguing false nine player. Nico and Yamal would be cutting from the wings, and Raphinha could drop deeper and get some link-up play , eventually unleashing balls for overlapping flank runners.
This would also allow Pedri, Gavi, or Ferran to push higher in midfield. However, this setup will come with a few flaws. Firstly, as I said, Raphinha ain’t Messi. The number 11 wont be scoring as much in this position because of a deeper role. Secondly, I personally think Raphinha is not always the greatest at going forward with the ball. In deeper roles, it’ll be important he doesn’t lose the ball a lot while going forward. So, yes, false-nine Raphinha could work but it will be an experiment.
Balde & Nico on Barcelona’s Left Flank
Another reason I believe Nico should always be on Barca’s left is that Alex Balde and Nico Williams on the same flank would terrorise opponents. Nico’s beautiful, natural tendency to cut inside perfectly complements Balde’s electric runs, creating overloads that defenders hate.
This partnership alone could significantly improve Barcelona’s struggles on the left side. If Flick gets this right, opponents will have no clue who to mark and this would also open up spaces on the right for Lamine Yamal.
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