After the end of the second international break of the season, Barcelona are set to resume their campaign this weekend, as they take on Sevilla.
The Catalans are leading the table heading into the gameweek, with a three-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
Hansi Flick’s big dilemma vs Sevilla
As reported by SPORT, Hansi Flick faces a major dilemma regarding his lineup, with his main doubt revolving around Frenkie de Jong and Eric Garcia.
Indeed, there is a growing competition in midfield, where de Jong and Garcia are battling it out for a place in the double pivot alongside Marc Casado.
With de Jong regaining fitness after participating in the last two games before the break and gaining rhythm during this period, Flick may opt to reintroduce the Dutchman to the starting lineup.
However, Garcia has proven to be reliable in the pivot role in recent games, forming a solid midfield trio with Casado and Pedri.
Will de Jong start over Eric Garcia vs Sevilla? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Flick must weigh whether to disrupt the balance by bringing de Jong in from the start or stick with the proven combination.
De Jong’s preference is to play in a double pivot, where he can have more freedom alongside a more positional player like Casado or Garcia.
When deployed as the lone pivot, the Dutchman has struggled to fully assert his influence in the past, which does raise questions about his compatibility in Flick’s setup.
On the flip side, Garcia has adapted well to his new role under Flick and has shown solid defensive positioning and ball distribution.
If de Jong is to start, it would likely be at Garcia’s expense – a move that could prove to be risky at this crucial juncture of the campaign.
While the likes of Gavi, Fermin Lopez, and Dani Olmo are back, they are unlikely to be ready to start right away and Flick must choose between Eric and de Jong as Casado’s partner in the double…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/hansi-flick-facing-major-selection-dilemma-heading-into-barcelona-vs-sevilla/
Author : Connell Edgar-Jones
Publish date : 2024-10-17 16:24:13
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.