How can Flick identify his preferred midfield without sacrificing?
Not many managers in Europe can boast the midfield options FC Barcelona Hansi Flick has at his disposal. However with options come decisions, and with decisions come potentially unhappy players. But in the case of FC Barcelona, Hansi Flick has so far seemed to find a way to rotate his midfield corp keeping everyone happy in terms of playing time and finding success on the field. So who is his preferred midfield three?
In the most important matches in the past six weeks, it's clear he prefers Pedri, Marc Casado, and Gavi. This trio played in the final of the Spanish Super Cup and the recent Champions League victory over Benfica. However, with Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, and Frenkie de Jong, Flick has three arguably world-class midfielders who have not played in the most important matches.
Lopez and de Jong proved their worth on Sunday in a 7-1 La Liga victory over Valencia, with de Jong scoring in the 3rd minute and Lopez providing two goals and two assists on the night. Olmo, who has gone through a nightmare with his failed registration due to salary cap issues, is currently injured, but it's no secret he is one of the top attacking midfielders in Europe. Add Pablo Torre, who has played well in his appearances this year, to the mix, and it's safe to say Barca has one of the best midfields in all of Europe.
But let's talk about Pedri, who, at 22 years old, has established himself as one of the best, if not the best midfield players in the world. He is the key to Barca, pulling the strings in everything they do as a team. His demeanor is similar to that of Andres Iniesta, one of the greats of FC Barcelona and the Spanish National Team, but we can save those comparisons for a different time. At the moment, there is one thing certain in the midfield of Flick and that is Pedri.
The most mind-blowing statistic is that between Pedri, Gavi, Lopez, Casado, Torre, and the injured Marc Bernal, the average age is just 20 years old. Olmo, 26, and de Jong, 27, are the elder statesmen in the group, but it's clear the future of FC Barcelona's midfield is bright.
Flick's ability to rotate this special group of players while keeping them all happy, healthy, and invested in his project will be the key to FC Barcelona's success over the next few months in La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.