Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi give Hansi Flick fresh Barcelona selection dilemma

Hansi Flick has been handed another selection headache at Barcelona after Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi both made decisive contributions to Tuesday's 4-1 Champions League victory over Galatasaray, intensifying competition for a place on the left wing.

Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the 2026-27 season with a comeback victory in Istanbul, extending their winning run to 10 matches across all competitions.

However, beyond the result and another influential performance from Lamine Yamal, the contributions of Gordon and Adeyemi have given Flick something to consider ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.

The former Newcastle United winger started against Galatasaray and scored Barcelona's third goal early in the second half, before making way for Adeyemi in the 59th minute.

The German needed just six minutes to find the net himself, completing the visitors' 4-1 victory and ensuring that both players competing for the same position had made their mark on the European stage.

It was another intriguing development in a rivalry that has emerged since Barcelona invested heavily in reshaping their attacking options during the summer transfer window.

Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi give Hansi Flick a difficult choice

Gordon arrived from Newcastle in a deal worth approximately £69m, making him one of Barcelona's most significant summer investments.

Adeyemi, meanwhile, joined from Borussia Dortmund for a considerably smaller fee of around £19m, but has already provided the England international with serious competition.

The difference in their transfer fees has not prevented Adeyemi from challenging Gordon for opportunities in Flick's side. Tuesday's match offered another example of why neither player can afford to take his position for granted.

Gordon justified his selection by getting on the scoresheet after Yamal had helped Barcelona recover from an early setback.

Galatasaray initially took the lead through Aleksey Batrakov, before Joao Cancelo equalised shortly before half time and Fermin Lopez put the visitors ahead after the interval.

Gordon extended the advantage, but Adeyemi ensured that his replacement would not pass unnoticed, scoring the fourth goal shortly after entering the pitch.

The sequence does not necessarily indicate an immediate change in Flick's preferred line-up. Gordon delivered as a starter, while Adeyemi demonstrated his ability to influence proceedings from the bench.

Nevertheless, it leaves the Barcelona manager with two convincing options for the same position, each capable of making a decisive attacking contribution.

Adeyemi was particularly upbeat about the team's performance when speaking exclusively to Soccernet.ng after the match.

"You see how we play, with a winning mentality, and our performance shows we want to win everything. You see this in every match. No retreat. No surrender," the Germany international said.

Barcelona's demanding schedule could test Gordon-Adeyemi hierarchy

The competition between Gordon and Adeyemi comes at an important stage of Barcelona's campaign, with several significant fixtures approaching in quick succession.

Flick's side travel to Real Betis in La Liga on Saturday before facing reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, October 20.

The Catalan giants will then host Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the season on October 25, giving Flick three demanding fixtures in the space of eight days.

Those matches could provide further opportunities to assess how the two summer arrivals fit into his attacking plans.

Gordon's impact has already helped Barcelona reduce some of their attacking reliance on Yamal, and his performance against Galatasaray strengthened his case for retaining a starting place, particularly given the understanding he demonstrated with the Spain international during Barcelona's second-half comeback.

Adeyemi, though, continues to offer a different option with his explosive pace and capacity to exploit space against tiring defenders.

The former Dortmund attacker also praised Barcelona's defensive performance against Victor Osimhen, whose threat was largely contained despite Galatasaray's promising start.

"Our defence did a great job yesterday, and it was very hard for him to make any serious impact," Adeyemi told Soccernet.ng.

With Barcelona having scored nine goals in their opening two Champions League matches, Flick has little reason to be dissatisfied with his attacking resources.

The question is how he intends to distribute opportunities between two players who have both provided convincing evidence of their value.

Gordon currently has the advantage of having started in Istanbul, but Adeyemi's immediate impact has strengthened his case for further involvement.

The forthcoming meetings with PSG and Real Madrid should provide a clearer indication of whether Flick intends to maintain that arrangement or give the German a greater role in his starting XI.