Barcelona will take a step to phasing out Robert Lewandowski next season

Change is coming to Barcelona — not because of failure, but because of time. Robert Lewandowski, still among the most prolific goal-scorers in European football, is entering what will likely be his final full season at the top. At 37 years old next season, his presence in the Barcelona XI will begin to shrink — and that’s exactly what new manager Hansi Flick is planning for.

According to Sergi de Juan of Diario AS, Flick is expected to shift towards using a false nine system next season. That change will have multiple consequences, but one of the most notable is that Lewandowski will no longer be the centerpiece of Barcelona’s attacking play. The Polish striker is expected to be spoken to directly about his evolving role, with the club making it clear that his age and declining physical intensity are at odds with the faster, more fluid playing style Flick intends to implement.

Flick’s new look: speed, movement, and wingers as scorers

The tactical shift isn’t just about Lewandowski’s limitations — it’s about maximizing Barcelona’s emerging strengths. Flick is reportedly eager to push a more dynamic and vertical style, and that means turning the spotlight toward Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

Yamal, already a generational talent, has room to grow, particularly as a goal-scorer. He has the creativity and one-on-one ability, but what he lacks is volume in front of goal. A system that frees up central space for him to attack — without a true striker crowding the box — could help unlock the next phase in his development.

Raphinha, meanwhile, was already one of the top-scoring wingers in Europe last season. Giving him even more license to cut in and shoot, especially with overlapping runs to distract defenders, makes Barcelona far more dangerous.

Dani Olmo: the new face of the false nine?

One of the main beneficiaries of Flick’s new system could be Dani Olmo, who has the perfect profile to succeed in a false nine role. Olmo excels in tight spaces, combines well in central areas, and brings the kind of positional intelligence and composure that suits Barcelona’s identity.

While his first season at the club had promising flashes, Olmo has more to give. In a false nine system that leans heavily on spatial awareness and quick exchanges, he could thrive as the hub of attacks — not necessarily scoring the goals himself, but unlocking the wingers and midfielders around him.

Flick’s plan is as much about stylistic evolution as it is long-term squad planning. Olmo may never be a 25-goal forward, but he could become one of the most valuable players in the system that decentralizes goal-scoring responsibility — just like the best Barcelona teams of the past.

Planning for the inevitable

For all of Lewandowski’s continued value — and make no mistake, he still is one of the best finishers in Europe — the writing is on the wall. Barcelona are beginning to gently phase him out, not with disrespect, but with clarity and direction.

This is a natural evolution, one every great club has to go through. And for Barcelona, the Flick era begins not with a revolution, but with a carefully calibrated shift: less Lewandowski, more movement, more modernity — and more goals from everywhere else.