Barcelona concern grows as Anthony Gordon searches for his early-season spark

Anthony Gordon’s impressive start at Barcelona has faded, with the €70m signing facing increasing pressure to rediscover the attacking influence that quickly won over the club’s supporters.

Gordon provided five assists in his first four La Liga appearances, earning an enthusiastic reception from the Barcelona fans. However, his form has dipped significantly since then.

In his next five league matches, having been rested for the game against Racing Santander, Gordon failed to create a goal. He scored once, against Getafe, despite recording an expected goals figure of 2.29, according to StatMuse.

His Champions League return has followed a similar pattern. Gordon scored against Galatasaray in Istanbul after a notable dribble by Lamine Yamal, but has not registered an assist in the competition.

The concern is not limited to the statistics. The touches and decisions that made Gordon so influential at the beginning of his Barcelona career have largely disappeared.

His athleticism remains clear. He continues to make repeated runs, move intelligently without the ball and cover ground effectively, but his choices in attacking situations have not matched the standard expected of him.

That is particularly significant given Barcelona’s investment. The club paid €70m for Gordon, with a further €10m in potential add-ons, and viewed him, alongside Rodri, as one of the major signings underpinning their plans for the current season.

International form has not transferred

Gordon’s early struggles in front of goal initially appeared to be a temporary setback. He had produced encouraging performances for England, scoring against Unai Simon at Wembley and also finding the net against Croatia and Czech Republic.

Those displays have not been replicated consistently for Barcelona. He has found it difficult to turn his movement into goals, while frustration was evident during the defeat of his attacking momentum against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, where he failed to make the most of several opportunities.

Despite those difficulties, Gordon’s overall ratings remain respectable. StatMuse gives him an average score of 6.79 in La Liga and 7.09 in the Champions League.

Those figures reflect his ability to contribute in different areas and support the team beyond goals and assists. They do not, however, disguise the central issue: his attacking impact has diminished and his decisive final touch has been missing.

The pressure is greater in major fixtures, where a player of Gordon’s value is expected to influence the outcome. Against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, he looked lively, moved well and posed a threat, but again hesitated in the final moments.

His capacity to play in several positions across the forward line makes him an important part of Barcelona’s long-term project. It also increases the expectation that he must produce more consistently.

Barcelona face Deportivo Alaves in La Liga on 31 October 2026, while Racing Santander meet Real Madrid in La Liga on 01 November 2026. Gordon’s next week will also include matches against Aston Villa, the club from the city where he comes from, and Atletico Madrid.

Those fixtures offer him an opportunity to restore his attacking effectiveness and demonstrate that he can meet the expectations attached to Barcelona’s significant investment.