Barcelona have begun life without a proven centre-forward with a convincing 5-0 victory at Elche, as Raphinha excelled in an unfamiliar false-nine role and Anthony Gordon made an immediate impact on his official debut.

Raphinha scored twice, won and converted a penalty and set up another goal as Barcelona produced an impressive attacking display in Sunday’s La Liga meeting. Fermin Lopez also stood out, while Gordon created two goals after coming on in the second half.

The result moved Barcelona up to fourth place with three points from one match. Sevilla lead the table with six points from two games.

However, the emphatic win also highlighted the unusual solution manager Hansi Flick may have to use this season after Barcelona were unable to replace the experience of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres in the summer transfer window.

Barcelona had identified Argentina international Julian Alvarez as a priority target, but they have failed to persuade Atletico Madrid to sell the forward. Atletico are understood to want Alvarez to stay or move to a club outside Spain, meaning the proposed deal appears unlikely to go ahead.

The Catalan club have also shown an interest in another Argentina forward, Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez. Their approach has so far been limited to enquiries about the player’s situation and whether a transfer might be possible during the current window.

Barcelona’s financial circumstances, combined with Atletico’s firm stance on Alvarez, mean the club could begin the season without an experienced specialist striker, at least until the winter transfer window.

Flick chose not to select Egypt forward Hamza Abdelkarim from the start against Elche, despite the youngster featuring during pre-season and making a positive impression. Instead, the German manager opted for more established players, even if that meant moving them away from their usual positions.

Raphinha, who normally operates on the left wing, was deployed through the middle as a false nine. Karim Adeyemi occupied the left side, although he is primarily a right winger, while Lamine Yamal started on the right. Fermin Lopez played behind the three attackers and delivered an outstanding performance.

The plan worked particularly well after the interval. Raphinha repeatedly moved into dangerous central areas, using his pace and passing to unsettle Elche’s defence. He earned the penalty that he converted, scored again and supplied the assist for Adeyemi, who took full advantage of the opportunity.

Yamal, by contrast, struggled to influence the game and was replaced in the 65th minute by new signing Anthony Gordon. Gordon immediately seized his chance, creating Raphinha’s second goal and Fermin Lopez’s first strike. Lopez later added another goal, with Xavi Espart providing the assist.

Flick regularly used a conventional centre-forward last season, with Lewandowski or Torres staying close to goal while the wingers supplied them. The false-nine system presents a different approach. The central attacker drops deeper to receive the ball, drawing defenders away from the most dangerous areas and creating space for wide players to move inside.

That movement was evident in Adeyemi’s goal and helped Barcelona increase the speed and variety of their attacking play. They scored three times in the second half and might have added more.

Even so, it is too early to decide whether the system can solve Barcelona’s longer-term concerns. Raphinha, Gordon and Fermin Lopez were excellent, and Barcelona created threats from several positions, but Elche’s resources are not comparable with those of Barcelona.

Elche finished 15th in La Liga last season, recording only 10 victories in 38 matches. They began this campaign with a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruna, who have returned to the top flight after a lengthy absence.

The next matches will provide a more meaningful test of Flick’s experiment. Barcelona must discover whether the absence of a proven striker capable of deciding tight games will become a serious weakness, or whether the false nine can successfully fill the gap left by Lewandowski and Torres.