FC Barcelona are set to take Espanyol on in the Catalan derby in La Liga later today and Hansi Flick has decisions to make. Coming into this game with back-to-back wins against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the confidence is sky-high.
With a number of players slowly yet surely returning from injuries for Hansi Flick, he now has several options to call upon. Especially in midfield, the likes of Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Dani Olmo have recently recovered from their respective injuries.
As good as the team has been in the last three games, it is important to give a few players some rest and start players who need to build up their match fitness. Keeping that in mind, we at BNN think Hansi Flick should hand starts to Dani Olmo and Frenkie de Jong.
The latter had a 45-minute cameo against Real Madrid, coming on in the second half and he changed the game in Barcelona’s favor. Frenkie added so much control to midfield and already looked to have a good understanding with Marc Casado.
Pedri, as good as he has been, needs to be preserved, considering his injury history. The Spaniard has shown a turn in fitness fortunes so far this season but Hansi Flick will know better than to push it and could give him a rest in the Barcelona derby.
Frenkie, having been back in the mix for some time now, should be ready to start. He still doesn’t look 100% recovered from the ankle injury he suffered back in April against Real Madrid but has shown promising signs during his recent cameos.
Of course, the Dutchman is not expected to play the entire 90 minutes but an hour’s worth of football would give Flick a better idea of where Frenkie stands going forward. The only concern that the German coach might have is the physicality of the game but that is something the 27-year-old Barcelona captain must be able to handle.
The other player that Hansi Flick should start against Espanyol is Dani Olmo. Unlike Frenkie, the 26-year-old has not been out for a long time but as with Pedri, the Spaniard’s injury history leaves a lot to be desired.
Olmo however should be in line to start instead of Fermin Lopez in the number 10 role. The Spaniard instantly makes them a much better team. His vision is incredible and at his best, he is one of the best creators in the field.
As good as Fermin was against Bayern, he was unable to have the same kind of impact against Real Madrid. Thus, the Espanyol game provides the best opportunity for Hansi Flick to reintroduce these two players, and let’s wait and see how it goes.
