"Olmo needs time; there were options for him to come in, the same with Pedri. They'll be on the bench and might get some playing time, but there are many matches in the coming weeks, in the next month; it's a long road until the end of the season. Perhaps it's too soon for them to play 90 minutes,"
"We have many players from our youth academy who know exactly how we have to play and what we have to do in this match. It's difficult; we already know it's a tough game. The attitude and mentality must be 100%, and we also need to maintain good positioning on the field."
"It's a match like any other, but of course it's special for him. There's a good coach there, and he gave him confidence. Now I'm happy he's with us."
FC Barcelona will face RCD Espanyol in the first match of 2026. Hansi Flick named a starting XI that left Pedri and Dani Olmo out of the starting lineup despite recent recoveries. Both players are on the bench and could receive limited playing time as the schedule will be busy in the coming weeks. The squad features many youth-academy players familiar with the required style and tactical demands. The match is expected to be difficult and calls for full attitude, mentality, and disciplined positioning. Joan Garcia returned to Espanyol to a hostile reception and the situation is described as special for him.
Read at Barca Universal
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