FC Barcelona initially expected themselves to have a tall task ahead of them in order to find a suitable alternative to Ousmane Dembele once he departed for PSG. At the time, it seemed the Catalan giants could only hold faith in the abilities of a particular Brazilian winger who was arguably not in the best form he possibly could be in.
However, Barcelona would soon be proved wrong and even taken by surprise. Three key evolutions have taken place within the first-team squad, including Brazilian winger Raphinha who was the original alternative to Ousmane Dembele.
As highlighted by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, all three primary right-wingers within the Barcelona set up as of right now are in their best form in ages. Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha are showcasing both at club level and with their National teams that they are more than dependable and at the service of Xavi Hernandez.
Lamine Yamal
The 16-year-old academy product has been nothing short of a miracle development at FC Barcelona. Possessing pace, flair, maturity, and a commendable understanding of the game, the youngster has impressed both with Barca and now with the Spanish National team.
His recent debut against Georgia for a European Qualifying game made him the youngest debutant in Spanish history and he ended up paying back that faith with a goal as well, breaking the record of becoming the youngest goal scorer in Spanish history and in European qualifying history simultaneously.
Ferran Torres
Unlike his two counterparts in their scenario, Ferran Torres has impressed primarily at club level thus far this season. Already the topscorer for Barcelona during the pre-season, he also has an impressive two goals scored in official competitions this season despite having played less than 70 minutes in total across all his official appearances.
Due to his Spanish teammates Dani Olmo and Marco Asensio getting injured, Ferran Torres has become the chosen one by Luis de la Fuente to represent the Spanish team once more since his last appearance during the World Cup last year.
Raphinha
Raphinha started his 2023/24 season in arguably the worst manner possible. Getting sent off in the opening game against Getafe, the 26-year-old winger’s absence paved the way for Lamine Yamal to shine and keep Raphinha on the bench even once he completed his suspension.
However, in his latest appearance for the Brazilian National team, he managed to not only leave a good impression but also score and assist in the same game against Bolivia. His improving form could leave questions in Xavi’s head in accordance to who he should start for Barcelona moving forward after all.
With all three wingers now making strong cases for themselves, it will be up to the Barcelona head coach to decide who fits the correct profile that he needs in his team and when is one player more suited to play a specific opponent rather than the other.
