Barcelona kick off their La Liga title defence on Sunday away to Elche, and the burning question around the club is who will lead the line for Hansi Flick's side in the absence of a recognised number nine.

The Catalans' infamous search for a striker still hasn't resulted in a high-profile signing, meaning Barça have no choice but to lean on their current attacking options for the opening match of the campaign.

Flick has plenty of possibilities at his disposal. Anthony Gordon and Raphinha both featured as strikers during pre-season, while Karim Adeyemi offers another route. But the name generating the most intrigue is 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim, who has made a serious case for inclusion with four goals and several impressive performances in pre-season.

The teenager remains unproven at top-flight level and is still expected to turn out for Barça Atlètic this season. Yet the unique circumstances of the first match — with several key starters still short of rhythm and no recognised striker in the squad — make it entirely plausible that Abdelkarim could be handed a massive opportunity by his coach from the off.

So the debate rages: should Hamza Abdelkarim get the nod against Elche?