Flick Tests 16-Year-Old Tunkara as a False Nine
Hansi Flick has been experimenting with Ebrima Tunkara through the middle of Barcelona’s attack. SPORT reports, via Barça Blaugranes, that the 16-year-old has been used as a false nine in first-team training and also played there in the behind-closed-doors friendly against CE Europa, scoring in Barça’s 4-1 win.
It is a notable positional change. Tunkara has mainly operated as an attacking midfielder or on the right for Juvenil A, but Flick is now testing whether his qualities can translate into a central attacking role. The German had already praised him during Barcelona’s training camp in England.
The timing is not accidental. Robert Lewandowski has left, Ferran Torres could still move to PSG and Barça are looking for a striker. Flick recently admitted that spending the season without a natural No. 9 is not his preferred solution. While the club searches the market, though, he is also checking whether part of the answer has been training at La Masia all along.
