Barcelona have specific plan for Gabriel Jesus as Hansi Flick prepares Getafe starting lineup
Barcelona are ready to give Gabriel Jesus a bigger role as Hansi Flick looks for solutions to Raphinha’s absence, with the Brazilian striker set to start against Getafe.
According to SPORT, Barça have spent the international break preparing Jesus for a heavier workload after his arrival late in the transfer window left him short of the physical condition needed to contribute consistently.
Hence, the upcoming fixture could provide a clear indication of whether that work is beginning to pay off.
Notably, Flick has already confirmed Raphinha will miss the Getafe game and the clash against Galatasaray.
So, with Barcelona losing a player who has been in perfect goalscoring form this season, the coach must find another way to maintain his side’s attacking threat.
Gabriel Jesus gets his Barcelona opportunity
Raphinha’s absence creates an opening for Jesus to move beyond the limited appearances he has made since joining Barcelona.
Barcelona feel Gabriel Jesus is ready to take on more responsibility. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The former Arsenal forward has shown flashes of his quality, scoring two goals in limited time, but his early involvement has largely been managed around his physical condition.
Barcelona now believe he is ready to take another step. During the international break, Jesus stayed with the team, allowing the club to oversee a dedicated preparation programme.
The objective was not just to improve his fitness but to rebuild the match rhythm required to contribute over longer periods under Flick.
Barcelona have worked on Jesus’ fitness
As reported by the outlet, Jesus has completed three weeks of individual preparation designed to bring him closer to peak condition.
The club believes he can now manage around 60 minutes, which would be a notable improvement even if he is not yet ready to handle a full match without restrictions.
Gabriel Jesus will replace injured Raphinha against Getafe. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
That workload would give Flick more flexibility in attack, particularly with Barcelona facing a demanding run of fixtures.
So what happens now?
Barcelona just cannot afford to rely on Raphinha while he recovers, and Hamza Abdelkarim is not yet considered ready to carry the responsibility of starting regularly at senior level.
That leaves Jesus with an opportunity to establish himself as a dependable option rather than a temporary solution.
His movement, experience and ability to link play could help Barcelona maintain their attacking intensity while Raphinha is unavailable.
The Getafe match therefore offers Jesus an opportunity to show that his fitness is improving and convince Flick he can be trusted with a greater share of the workload.
