"Frenkie de Jong will not be available after picking up two yellow cards in the clash with Celta Vigo, forcing him to serve his suspension tomorrow. To add to that, Pedri is still not fit enough to feature, leaving Flick with a familiar dilemma. It is a situation the German coach has already experienced before, almost identical, in fact, to the one he faced during his early days at the club."
"With the senior midfielders missing, he turned to La Masia and trusted his young academy graduates. In matches against Valencia and Athletic Club, Flick fielded a pairing of Marc Casado and Marc Bernal. The decision paid off handsomely, with Barcelona winning both encounters thanks to the energy and discipline of the youthful duo. The scenario repeated itself against AS Monaco, but with a slight variation."
Barcelona returns to the renovated Spotify Camp Nou to face Athletic Club with significant midfield issues. Frenkie de Jong is suspended after picking up two yellow cards against Celta Vigo. Pedri remains unfit to play. Hansi Flick must find midfield solutions and may again rely on academy graduates. Last season Flick used Marc Casado and Marc Bernal successfully in similar absences, and also used Eric García with Casado when Pedri played further forward. Casado has recovered from a minor injury and is likely to start, possibly alongside Fermin Lopez; Bernal is available.
Read at Barca Universal
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