Anthony Gordon has already been making waves at Barcelona after joining from Newcastle United in June
Anthony Gordon during Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao
Anthony Gordon made his first La Liga start on Thursday(Image: Sergio Ruiz/PRESSINPHOTO/Shutterstock)
After impressing from the bench on his La Liga debut, Anthony Gordon was handed a first start in the competition for Barcelona on Thursday. The former Newcastle United winger took the place of fellow new signing Karim Adeyemi for the home game against Athletic Bilbao and caught the eye once more.
There were a couple of notable moments to get the crowd on their feet. He pulled off an impressive nutmeg on Inaki Williams inside the first 20 minutes and later showed he wasn't afraid to let rip at team-mate Lamine Yamal after the youngster went it alone instead of handing him a tap-in for what would have been the England international's first Barca goal.
Fans have already taken to the 25-year-old, chanting his name and cheering loudly when he walked over to drink from a bottle of water, with Gordon tapping the club badge in acknowledgement. When he left the field 10 minutes from time, there was even a standing ovation from sections of the crowd at Spotify Camp Nou.
There was plenty of praise from the media as well after goals from Raphinha and Fermin saw Barca run out 2-0 winners. Here's how the Spanish press responded to Gordon's home debut.
Sport
Despite not contributing a goal or assist on this occasion, Gordon still earned a match rating of 7 out of 10 from Sport. "He did practically everything right - meaning he was just a fraction away from executing every play cleanly," they wrote.
"It is only a matter of time before that happens; it is simply a question of rhythm, as he has already grasped his role on the left flank. He didn't quite understand why Lamine didn't pass to him in a situation similar to the one he had with Fermín at Elche. He has hit the ground running."
AS
AS pointed to the relationship between Gordon and Raphinha, who scored the first of the Blaugranes' two unanswered goals. "Athletic Bilbao managed to contain Barcelona's attack, which once again relied on the blistering pace of a runaway thoroughbred like Raphinha," they wrote.
"The Brazilian is constantly making runs, offering himself as an option, tracking back to defend, and leading the team. Moreover, he has found an ideal partner in Gordon, who speaks his language. If Lamine were to adopt even a little of that energy, it would be a nightmare for opposing defences."
Cope
Cope pundit Dani Senabre was effusive in his praise for Gordon. He even made comparisons with Ousmane Dembele, who some Barca fans might consider the one who got away, given his form with Paris Saint-Germain.
"I'm telling you now, I'm in love with Gordon," Senabre said. "I mean, I'm going to be really persistent, just as persistent as I was with Dembele, I'm going to be with Gordon, because it's only been two games, but I've loved him in both."
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Anthony Gordon during Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao
Gordon received a standing ovation when he left the field(Image: Matthieu Mirville/DPPI/Shutterstock)
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Mundo Deportivo
Mundo Deportivo recognised it wasn't as blistering a display as the one against Elche. Even so, Gordon received some encouraging words.
"With limited space, he wasn't as incisive as he had been in Elche," they wrote. "He didn't attack down the wing, although he began to show some connection with his new teammates. He left the pitch to a standing ovation."
Marca
Like some other publications, Marca gave Raphinha most of the plaudits after Thursday's game. They recognised Gordon showed promise but raised questions over team-mate Lamine Yamal after the teenager failed to hit his usually high standards.
"Gordon tried, but he still needs to gel with his teammates and improve his finishing," they wrote. "Lamine is a different story. The Barcelona star isn't shining as brightly as he usually does for the fans."