BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 12: Marc Casado of FC Barcelona looks on during the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and AS Monaco at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on August 12, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

21-year-old Barcelona player leads teammates in distance run in UCL

Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images

This high-flying FC Barcelona team has a stern test awaiting them as they face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League tonight. The several Blaugrana players who have taken a step forward this season will have to be at their best to be able to get the full three points from this game.

One such player who will perhaps be playing the biggest match of his career up to now tonight will be Marc Casado, who has been a regular starter for Flick this season, especially after the injury suffered by Marc Bernal. Casado played the full 90 minutes in the last two Champions League games against Monaco and Young Boys.

The La Masia graduate has been quite impressive in these games, and as SPORT has reported, he particularly stands out in one aspect. He is the FC Barcelona player who has covered the most distance in the UCL, with his 23.1 kilometers of distance covered outshining Raphinha’s 22.3 and Kounde’s 21.3 kilometers.

Overall, Casado seems to have a special relationship with the Champions League. It was in this competition that he made his debut in the 2022-23 season, as the team played away to Viktoria Plzen and won 2-4. The midfielder played 23 minutes in that match, and this meant a lot for him even though Barcelona had nothing to win or lose in that game.

He had two more appearances in this competition last season, getting 8 minutes against Shakhtar Donetsk and another 14 minutes against Antwerp.

But this season, his role in the team has undergone a radical change. He now has a first-team number, and is a regular starter for Flick. This status might change once Frenkie de Jong and Gavi return to full fitness, but Casado is still aiming to be an important player for Barcelona throughout this season.

Tags Marc Casado