Koeman has big decisions to make ahead of Barcelona’s showdown against Real Madrid in the Clasico

Enough games have past to provide Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman with valuable information about his team.

There have been encouraging signs of success, such as the emphatic 5-1 victory against Ferencvárosi on Tuesday.  But there have  also warning flags that not everything is working.  Against Getafe they were out witted and out played completely, and Ronald Koeman should take note.

On Saturday Barcelona will take on their biggest rival for the title in the first Clasico of the year.

Lucky for the Catalan side, Real Madrid is not in good form, losing their last two games to Cadiz and Shakhtar Donetsk.

For the players on both teams the question remains which ones are ready to shine the brightest.  With the whole world watching this weekend, there will be no better opportunity to make statements in support of themselves in front of their managers.

But first, Ronald Koeman has important decisions to make.

Who will be given the opportunities?

So far, he’s used a diverse rotation.  A few players seem to have locked down a regular starting role, but others are on the fence.

The defense seems locked in, mostly because of injuries and a lack of options.

Neto will get the start in goal.  He’s been rock solid in place of Marc Andre ter Stegen, who was hoping to make it back in time for this fixture, but looks to be sidelined for a bit longer.

Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, and Sergi Roberto will continue on in their roles, and with Jordi Alba still injured, Sergino Dest is likely to fill in for him on the left side.  This game will be a test for the back four.  They have been competent for the most part this season, but neutralizing the Real Madrid attack will pose a challenge.

Like the back four, the defensive midfield is also predictable with Koeman likely to use Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong in the double pivot.  It’s not because they’ve been great.  Lucky for them, the only other option at the moment is Miralem Pjanic.  In order to maintain their spot in the lineup going forward, a strong performance against their rivals is required on both the defensive and attacking ends.

One big decision for Koeman will be with his attacking players.  This is where most of the experimenting has been.

The only player and position that seems to be completely locked down is on the left wing with Ansu Fati.  This selection is all but made.

Messi will play for sure, but the question will be whether he’s used as a false nine or on the right wing.  If Koeman decides to play Antoine Griezmann then he’ll also have to decide which player can help the team most in which position, and at this point it’s completely up in the air.

But what if he doesn’t choose Griezmann?  For one, this would create drama for the Dutchman in the media, but strategically it is looking logical.

After a strong showing in the Champions League, don’t be surprised if Ousmane Dembele plays instead.  This would make things a bit easier on Koeman, as Dembele would play the role of a traditional winger on the right, while Messi stakes out a position in the middle.

The final and most intriguing decision, however, will be the choice between Philippe Coutinho and Pedri.  Coutinho has had a strong comeback year so far, and selecting him seems like common sense given his experience playing in big games.

Pedri has complicated things recently with his surprising maturity and quick adaptation.  I don’t expect Koeman to choose him. It’s seems a bit unjust with everything Coutinho has proven so far.  But don’t be surprised if Koeman gives Pedri a chance, whether it’s in the starting lineup, or as a substitute depending on how the game plays out.

The lineup is full of massively critical decisions for Koeman.  Getting it correct will be a reflection of himself as a manager.  And that’s to say nothing of the tactics.

With Real Madrid playing poorly, will Barcelona be brave by playing fast and direct?  It’s up to Koeman.  This match could be highly entertaining, but it could also turn into a tactical snooze fest.

Coming out of it, Koeman will be start to receive his first true and fair judgements, and the momentum will likely impact the team going forward one way or the other.