The Great Dilemma of Hansi Flick for the Center of Defense

Hansi Flick will find himself in an unprecedented situation during the second half of the season. Since his arrival at FC Barcelona, the German coach has hardly had to manage the rotation of the center of defense due to the injuries of Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen, and Eric García, thus consolidating the duo Pau Cubarsí-Iñigo Martínez.

However, with the Uruguayan fully fit and the Dane nearing the end of his recovery, the Barça coach is in a genuine dilemma. The level shown by Cubarsí and Iñigo makes it hard to see any of them coming off the bench, but it is also difficult to imagine the Uruguayan, one of the undisputed leaders of the team, in that same scenario.

Araújo received medical clearance more than 20 days ago and was part of the last call-ups for Barça in 2024, although he did not have time to debut. However, having regained his sensations in training, it is not ruled out that he will make his debut this season next Saturday, January 4, against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey.

The South American will have to adapt to a scheme very different from that of Xavi, with the defensive line pushed very high and playing constantly on the edge. Due to his physical power, it is expected that the player will have no problem moving in these waters, so Flick is rubbing his hands at the possibility of recovering one of the best in the world in his position, although this would mean sacrificing one of his two 'protected' players this season.

Juventus Could Solve a Problem for Barça

The case of Christensen is more complex than that of Araújo. The Dane already lost prominence last season after the emergence of Pau Cubarsí, and this year the context is even more wild. The Nordic player does not yet have medical clearance but is already training with the group, which is why his return is expected in the coming weeks.

However, the player will rejoin a team where Cubarsí and Iñigo have been 'untouchables' for Flick, and Araújo has a significant advantage in the battle for a starting spot. In principle, Barça counts on him for the rest of the season, but it will be necessary to see how comfortable the defender feels with his new role in the squad.

In this sense, Juventus, which has lost Bremer for the remainder of the season, will look to strengthen their defense in January and Christensen would be one of the favorites of the 'bianconera' management. It seems difficult for the culés to agree to part with the player mid-year and with a tight schedule where rotations will be the order of the day, but an attractive offer could sway the departure of the '15' from Barça. The coming weeks will be crucial, but Flick is preparing to face one of his biggest challenges on the Barça bench.