Flick's Perfect Start, Raphinha's Hat-trick & Sevilla Test Looms | September 18, 2026
Barcelona's 7-2 demolition of Racing puts them three points clear. Raphinha leads the Pichichi race while Gavi opens up about his difficult recovery. Sevilla awaits on Saturday.
Flick Makes History as Barça Dismantle Racing
Seven goals. A Raphinha hat-trick. Cancelo's first-ever career brace. Hansi Flick has become the first Barcelona manager to win his opening six La Liga matches, and he's done it with the kind of attacking football that has us dreaming again.
Wednesday's 7-2 thrashing of Racing Santander wasn't just another victory—it was a statement. The Brazilian winger now leads the Pichichi race outright after his first Barcelona treble, while João Cancelo finally showed why the club fought to bring him back. His two thunderous strikes suggest the Portuguese is ready to make that left-back spot his own, which means Alejandro Balde faces a genuine battle for minutes despite not playing a single match this season.
The numbers tell their own story. Barcelona's goal-scoring rate is something we haven't seen since the 1940s. Flick has turned this team into a machine, and Saturday's trip to Sevilla—currently fifth and hungry—will test whether this perfect start has real substance or if we're riding high before reality bites.
Gavi's Return: Hope Mixed with Caution
Pablo Gavi spoke candidly about his recovery, and his words carried weight. "Not everyone comes back" from the kind of injury he suffered. The kid knows he's lucky to be here, and after difficult years that tested him mentally as much as physically, he's facing new pressure: fighting for minutes in a stacked midfield.
Flick hasn't sugarcoated it. Playing time will be managed carefully across the season. With the depth we now have in the middle of the park, Gavi needs to prove his fitness and form all over again. There's no entitlement at this Barcelona, and frankly, that's refreshing.
Lamine Confronts Racism While Eric Dreams of Ballon d'Or
Lamine Yamal sat down with Jorge Valdano and revisited the racist incident at the Bernabéu with striking maturity. "I've felt racism a thousand times," the teenager said. "People are indirectly racist without realizing it. Being called Black doesn't bother me—I am Black."
His teammate Eric García thinks Lamine deserves the Ballon d'Or. "With his age and what he does..." García said during a hometown tribute for winning the World Cup in Martorell. It's bold, maybe premature, but when you watch the kid play, you understand the sentiment. Meanwhile, Mbappé sent Lamine good wishes but insisted the award "must return to the Bernabéu." Of course he did.
The Goalkeeper Question and Madrid Derby Intrigue
With Joan García unavailable, Flick faces a choice between Wojciech Szczęsny and Dominik Livaković for Saturday's Sevilla clash. It's not exactly a crisis, but getting the call right matters when you're protecting a perfect record.
Elsewhere in La Liga, Sunday's Madrid derby carries extra significance. Atlético, sitting fourth, host Real Madrid in second just before the international break. Another highlight? Our own fixture against Sevilla kicks off Saturday at 21:00. The calendar is opening up debates about squad rotation, especially after Racing's lineup against us raised questions about smaller clubs resting players before facing the giants.
Barcelona also sent scouts to watch Norwegian assist king Bo Hegland, while whispers continue about Harry Kane as Bayern consider contract talks. That feels like noise for now, with Julián Álvarez still the priority to eventually replace Lewandowski.
Sevilla away won't be easy. But if this team keeps scoring like it's 1940, who's going to stop us?
