Barcelona back in the hunt before critical fixtures against Bayern Munich and Real.

There is always something delightful about a goal fest.

But as said by Hansi Flick, there is hardly any learning opportunity in these sorts of matches.

Young Boys’ setup looked a lot like Osasuna, sitting back in this deep block and hoping for some luck in possession. But this is where the similarities start and end.

Barcelona easily bypassed the Young Boys’ last line of defense. With a fourth forward on the pitch, players bombed forward, and once again, there was plenty of success down the right.

Pedri and Raphinha were probably the men of the match. Working, creative, and making the task difficult for Young Boys defenders.

Of course, tasks are a lot easier when opponents cannot counterattack, so it was quite a poor show from Bryan Zaragoza when it came to lifting his side’s spirits.

This allowed the Blaugrana leeway to take chances going forward and double down on the pace at progressive lengths, peaking as they built confidence.

Going forward, a lot of excitement lies ahead as the roster thickens with the players returning from injury.

Frenkie de Jong returning to action was most encouraging, and one wonders what Flick has in mind for him. He was quickly integrated in his short stint, along with Ansu Fati, combining with confident and pacy pressing that reflected readiness to embrace the program.

Short of Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Fermin Lopez.

The key lies in injury-free progress so that the coach ceases to mess with consistency while keeping an eye on what works best.

Ultimately, Barcelona is still in prime position for oncoming achievements against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

A game against the Bavarians will take place in front of the home crowd, so it will be interesting to see how pragmatic Hansi Flick really is. I expect him to send the team out on the front foot.

Same goes for their trip to the Bernabéu. If this is an evolved Barcelona, now is the time to show it.

But first things first: the focus will have to be on getting past Alavés. This is one no one should take lightly. Much like Osasuna, they are playing well right now and exceeding expectations, and any chance to upset the Catalan giants is music to their ears.

These are the games that will determine the league.

Hansi Flick will, no doubt, field his best team.

Barcelona isn’t quite back on its feet, but that’s perfectly all right, for they are reinforced.