BARÇA IS 'SHORT' OF MIDFIELDERS
The 'puzzle' of FC Barcelona's midfield after Dani Olmo's injury
Published:16/09/2024 - 18:36h
Updated:17/09/2024 - 02:10h
Dani Olmo's injury is a real 'headache' for Barça. Ahead of the Champions League opener next Thursday, Flick is only counting on Pablo Torre as the only natural replacement, with Raphinha as a possible 'hidden' option
FC Barcelona confirmed the worst predictions with Dani Olmo. The player from Egar, who was expected to be out for two games due to injury, will be out for four to five weeks, so he could miss the matches against Monaco, Villarreal, Getafe, Osasuna, Young Boys, Alavés, Sevilla and Bayern Munich, as well as being just in time for the Clásico against Real Madrid on October 27.
The absence of the midfielder is a very sensitive one for Flick, since the player was being a key piece in the team's play. His impact in the first few days of LaLiga, scoring three goals in three games, has been fundamental to the good performance of the Catalans in the championship, which is why the German coach has a real headache ahead of him.
And the fact is that the Barça midfield has been left more out of sorts than ever. Olmo joins Fermín López, Gavi, Bernal and Frenkie de Jong in the Barça infirmary, and although the Dutchman has already returned to training, the truth is that he needs some more training before jumping onto the pitch in official competition. Therefore, his presence against Monaco in the Champions League debut is practically ruled out, leaving the Blaugrana coach with a serious problem to solve.
Possible replacements for Olmo in midfield
Ahead of the Champions League debut, Hansi would have two great alternatives to accompany Pedri and Marc Casadó in midfield. The first of them, giving Ferran Torres a starting role on the left to move Raphinha to the centre of the field, an alternative that was already used by the German in the first few days of LaLiga.
On the other hand, Flick could opt for Pablo Torre, who started both games with the U-21s during the break and whose profile is more similar to Olmo's as he is a natural midfielder. The Cantabrian had a lot of minutes during the preseason and his time at Girona helped him gain experience in the elite, reasons why the Barça coach could give him a 'vote of confidence' in the Principality.
Finally, Eric García could be Barça's 'dark horse' in the centre of the field, as the Masia youth player has experience in the position and Flick himself admitted that he plans to use him in this area throughout the season. The German could move Casadó's position forward and leave him as an inside midfielder, a position in which he played many minutes before Bernal's injury, while Pedri would play as a playmaker.
Barça 'rushing' the return of injured players
For Flick, the recovery of midfield players is key, and Frenkie de Jong has been the first to take the step. The Dutchman stepped onto the pitch at Camp Tito Vilanova and did some of the work with the group. While we wait to see how he evolves, his return in the next few weeks would be a top-level reinforcement for the German, who is eagerly awaiting his return.
The same case for Fermín López, whose absence would be limited to the matches against Monaco and Villarreal. If the three-week period that Barça announced on September 4 is met, the Andalusian should be fit for the match against Getafe, or at most, against Osasuna. Likewise, the options for the reserve team, such as Guille Fernández or Unai Hernández, will also be examined by Flick, who has a 'hot potato' on his hands.
