Anthony Gordon has been at Barcelona for three months, and his own verdict is that the start is only a 7.5. He said the club have not seen his best yet, added that he can do more, and made clear he wants more goals before Tuesday's Barcelona vs Aston Villa game.

Gordon's own assessment

Speaking to barcauniversal.com, Gordon said, "Out of 10? I don’t know, a 7.5? We haven’t seen the best of Gordon yet; I can give much more. I’m still settling in with my family - it’s always a bit of a difficult."

He expanded on that point to Europa Press, saying he was still adjusting to a new country, a new team and new patterns of movement. He has made 13 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions and scored three goals, which fits the picture of a player who has contributed but is still looking for more.

The most pointed line was about his end product. "I can do more, perhaps I can be a bit more selfish at times," Gordon said, before adding that he wants to score as many goals as he can because goals win matches.

He also said the pressure at Barcelona feels lighter than the fight he knew elsewhere. Speaking to the BBC, Gordon said competing for trophies is "definitely the most enjoyable" and that it is less pressure than fighting relegation or trying to climb into the Champions League places.

Flick's wider message before Aston Villa

Hansi Flick is trying to keep the focus on the next match. He said Barcelona's last two defeats have changed nothing and backed the squad to reach their objectives, with the team sitting eighth in the Champions League league phase on 6 points from 3 matches.

Barcelona's domestic run has still been strong, with 11 wins in a row before the defeat to Real Madrid interrupted it. Flick is also dealing with four players out in defence, a problem that leaves him juggling his options before Aston Villa arrive.

The injury list includes Andreas Christensen, while Alejandro Balde remains a selection issue after Flick said confidence can dip when players are short of minutes. That leaves the Barca coach with decisions to make at the back and a home European match that still carries weight.

Flick also called Aston Villa a top-class opponent and praised Unai Emery's clarity. The immediate test is simple enough: Barcelona want to reset after their two defeats, and Gordon wants a sharper version of himself in front of goal when Villa visit on Tuesday.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →