Barcelona return to La Liga on Saturday 22nd October with a tough match against Athletic Club. It is always a difficult game due to the high potential of the opponents, but this one is made even more complicated by the absence of players from the Blaugrana team. It’s true that barring any last-minute hiccups, Flick will be able to bring back Joao Garcia and Rafinha, but the Blaugrana manager goes into this game with serious problems in midfield.
For the first time since joining Barcelona’s bench, he will not be able to rely on three of his best midfielders: Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Gabi. The latter is nothing new, as he has been injured for several months since undergoing meniscus surgery and is expected to be back in January or February next year. However, the absence of the other two who form the starting pair in the double pivot is more serious.
Lamine Yamal and Barcelona turn heads with their stylish custom-made outfits backstage
De Jong’s suspension
The Dutchman will not be able to play as he was sent off in the previous match against Celta. On Thursday, the competition committee approved a one-game suspension. Meanwhile, Pedri will not be able to play as he has not yet recovered from his injury. The Canary Islander has recovered considerably, but he will not be ready in time for the match against Athletic. So Flick has no choice but to improvise in the middle.
Casado aims for title
Marc Casado seems to have secured his position. He’s a player who has played when we needed to rest our starting pitchers. It is true that he was unable to play against Celta as he felt some discomfort during the warm-up, but he has already recovered at this point and the fact that he was included in the starting eleven against Rojiblancos shows everything.
Bernal’s lack of rhythm
Other options for flicks vary. One would be to line up Marc Bernal alongside Casado in a double pivot. That’s his natural position, but the problem is that he hasn’t played much time this season. His playing time has been minimal at just 32 minutes in all competitions, and his lack of match fitness has made it difficult for him to start.
eric and christensen
From there, Flick will need to look for players in other positions to fill the void. If he looks at the defense, he’ll see that Eric Garcia and Christensen can play that double pivot. It is not an unfamiliar position for them, as they have already played several minutes in that position this season. One of the two will likely be part of Casado’s midfield.
Dani Olmo and Fermin
Another option comes from the offensive position. Both Fermin and Olmo can play in this position, but it is by no means their natural position. Olmo has already played several minutes in this position this season. He has the ability, but he loses some of his goal-scoring effectiveness the further he gets away from the area. The same applies to Fermin. If you look at the number of goals he has scored, you can see that the further away he is from the opponent’s goal, the less danger he creates.
Touch-up within the system
Flick could also change the system and play with one pivot and two midfielders. This allows Fermin and Olmo to not only support in the center of the field, but also stay close to the opposition area if they play. Rafinha’s return will also be important for the team to maintain its offensive power.
