At the beginning of the season, no one would have imagined that the duo formed by Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez would establish itself as one of the most solid in the continent. The Catalan and the Basque, driven by the numerous defensive injuries the team suffered in the first half of the season, have become indispensable for Hansi Flick, whose advanced line has been executed to perfection by this tandem.
The coordination of this duo transcends the playing fields, and in the match against Barbastro last Saturday, they jointly reached 50 official matches in the first team of FC Barcelona. Although Ronald Araujo took the place of the academy player in the starting eleven, the rotations made in the second half allowed both defenders to reach this milestone in the cup match.
Will the duo be broken with Araujo's return?
This season, Cubarsí has already accumulated 26 matches in all competitions, being a starter in 24 of these. Meanwhile, Iñigo has played 25 matches and has been the most used player by the Barça coach, accumulating 2,198 minutes.
However, many doubts have arisen regarding the future of this duo, as Araujo has already fully recovered from his muscle injury and is expected to start in Flick's scheme, who will have to make a crucial decision for the rest of the season, as he will be forced to break his previously untouchable tandem to make room for the Uruguayan in the lineup.