Gabriel Jesus form puts Hamza Abdelkarim’s Barcelona first-team hopes under pressure

Hamza Abdelkarim’s hopes of earning a bigger role in Barcelona’s first team have been made more difficult by Gabriel Jesus’ outstanding start at the club.

The Brazilian forward has scored three goals in his first five appearances for Barcelona, despite starting only once. That opportunity came against Getafe, when Gabriel Jesus was named in the starting line-up.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Gabriel Jesus needed just 123 minutes to score his three goals, giving him a rate of one goal every 41 minutes.

He scored against Feyenoord in the Champions League before finding the net against Racing in La Liga. He then continued his run by scoring again against Getafe yesterday.

The timing of his form is particularly significant because Raphinha is currently absent through injury. His absence could have created an opening for Abdelkarim to demonstrate his ability and secure more playing time with the senior side.

However, competition for minutes is not limited to Gabriel Jesus. Raphinha had also made an exceptional start to the season before his injury, scoring 12 goals in La Liga at a rate of one every 46 minutes.

Gabriel Jesus took advantage of Raphinha’s absence to start against Getafe, while Abdelkarim now faces a demanding battle for opportunities despite making a positive impression in recent months.

The Egyptian forward impressed during pre-season and finished as Barcelona’s leading scorer in the preparation period. He subsequently made his official first-team debut before scoring his first international goal for the Egypt senior team.

Gabriel Jesus’ form does not necessarily close the door on Abdelkarim’s involvement, but it makes convincing manager Hansi Flick to give him an extended opportunity more difficult. That challenge will become greater if the Brazilian maintains his remarkable scoring rate.