According to Goal.com, Jesus has quickly adapted since joining Barcelona, with Flick having given him playing opportunities against Valencia and Feyenoord. Jesus also scored with a header from a Yamal cross.
Jesus quickly integrated into the team's locker room. He already speaks Spanish, communicating with teammates without barriers. Combined with the English he mastered while playing for Manchester City and Arsenal, he can also communicate with Flick, who speaks English. Barcelona signed Jesus hoping he would adapt to the team's system as quickly as possible, because Flick needs to rotate the squad this season.
Barcelona has a busy schedule recently, with three consecutive matches before the international break: against Levante, Racing Santander at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday, and Sevilla away. This forces Flick to manage player fitness, and Jesus's role is expected to become increasingly important in the coming games.
After joining, Jesus played 9 minutes at Mestalla and then 7 minutes against Feyenoord. He demonstrated a keen eye for goal and quickly understood the emphasis on passing and combination play. Jesus had played in similar systems under Guardiola and Arteta, which is one of his advantages.
Flick currently starts Raphinha at center forward but does not want to overexert him. In the five official matches Raphinha has played for Barcelona, he has completed only one full match but has already scored eight goals, including six in La Liga and two in the Champions League.
Resting Raphinha once the outcome of a match is largely decided is an important option Barcelona needs to consider going forward. Raphinha was injured last season, missing parts of the final third of the club's campaign, especially the Champions League quarter-final against Atlético Madrid. He also sustained an injury while playing for Brazil in the Copa América.
Flick wants to protect Raphinha, which is one of the main reasons Barcelona signed Jesus. Jesus is full of drive on the field, highly effective in the front-line press, and precise in front of goal—similar characteristics to Raphinha. However, the former Leeds United forward's current level is already higher than most forwards in the world, second only to Mbappé and a few others.
From his first day, Jesus has trained hard, hoping to shake off the impact of insufficient playing time at Arsenal. His physical condition is excellent; he joined team training from the start and did not require a special recovery plan like Rodri.
Internally, Barcelona is pleased with the signing of Jesus, especially given the efficiency he displayed against Feyenoord. Jesus fits well with Flick's style of play, which indicates he came to Barcelona not to be a mere substitute but to play an important role in the team.
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