Injuries continue to plague FC Barcelona, and even their healthy players are never quite safe from it. The Catalan club has been suffering without some of their best players as a result of this, and it only makes sense that they are extra cautious. Despite said caution, however, Barcelona continue to face issues.
Their most recent loss comes at the hands of Rayo Vallecano, the team that Hansi Flick’s men beat most recently. While the three points may have been secured by Barcelona, they ended up losing arguably something much more precious in return.
17-year-old sensation Marc Bernal, who had become Flick’s most trusted defensive midfield option, ended up getting his ACL injured as well as his Meniscus. With this injury, it can be safe to assume that his season may as well be over and he will now have to look towards returning in the next campaign.
Fortunately, according to Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick already has two names that he knows can be trusted to fulfill those duties and take over from Bernal. One of those players is someone that Bernal himself knows all too well, and the other is one of the captains of the team.
Marc Casado, a former captain of Barcelona Atletic and a senior to Marc Bernal, could be the most immediate change that Flick can count on. His tenacity and awareness are both commendable aspects of his game, and he already knows how to play in this role as he did so against Valencia at the Mestalla.
The other name, however, is that of Frenkie De Jong. Currently still injured, but there is hope that the Dutchman will be able to return to the team for the clash against Girona away from home. Regardless of when he returns, Hansi Flick seems to have complete faith in him and expects him to step up now that the team needs him more than ever.
Both Casado and De Jong will likely be given a lot of opportunities by Flick this season. It is now expected of them to make sure that their presence is felt and that the faith being put in them by the coach is not misplaced at any given point of a long campaign up ahead.
As for a potential transfer arrival, the possibilities are not as clear. Unless Barcelona can manage to get a sizeable injection of funds from somewhere, whether it be the new Nike deal or Barça Vision, it looks quite unlikely that a new signing would be realistic.
