Barcelona’s early 2026/27 campaign has found an unexpected source of efficiency in Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian forward, still largely used from the bench by Hansi Flick, scored in the 3-0 win over Getafe and has quickly made each of his limited minutes count in Catalonia.
Jesus makes his case in Barcelona
The 29-year-old has recorded three goals and one assist across six appearances, despite not yet being a regular starter. In 155 minutes on the field, he has produced a direct goal contribution every 38.75 minutes, with stoppage time excluded from the calculation.
Only Barcelona captain Raphinha has a better rate among the club’s attacking options this season. Raphinha has supplied 14 goals and three assists in 626 minutes, averaging one goal contribution every 36.82 minutes.
| Player | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Minutes per goal contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raphinha | 626 | 14 | 3 | 36.82 |
| Gabriel Jesus | 155 | 3 | 1 | 38.75 |
Champions League impact from the bench
- In Barcelona’s opening Champions League match, Jesus entered in the 83rd minute against Feyenoord and scored two minutes later to complete a 5-1 victory.
- That strike was his 27th in the competition, drawing him level with Rivaldo as the fourth-highest Brazilian scorer in Champions League history.
- On Tuesday in Istanbul, Barcelona beat Galatasaray 4-1. Jesus came on 13 minutes into the second half and created the final goal for Adeyemi.
- He then added to his strong start by scoring during Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat of Getafe.
Flick praises the Brazilian’s influence
Flick has described Jesus as a welcome surprise since his arrival, stressing that the forward’s contribution extends beyond goals and assists.
“I am delighted he is with us,” the Barcelona coach said. “He surprised me a little, honestly, but he is an excellent person and a very good player for this team. His attitude and character fit perfectly here.”
Barcelona’s wider forward group has also produced heavily in the opening months of the season. Other attacking records include returns of eight goals and nine assists in 851 minutes, four goals and two assists in 335 minutes, five goals and two assists in 577 minutes, two goals and four assists in 554 minutes, and four assists in 461 minutes.
