The experiment that Hansi Flick has 'copied' from Eusebio Sacristán

BarcelonaHansi Flick has managed to squeeze every ounce of juice out of a squad that, after a lackluster season, seemed doomed. With no other resources to reinforce themselves than Dani Olmo, the star signing for the current campaign, and Pau Víctor, a secondary player little used by the German coach, Barça reaches the decisive stretch of the season. course with options to win the triple crown: La Liga, Champions League, and Copa del Rey, the first of the three titles the team already has under its belt. Unable to strengthen its squad in the winter transfer window, where the battle in the offices was precisely over the registration of Olmo and Víctor, Flick has had to respond to the absences in a very demanding season by giving prominence to unexpected players, such as Gerard Martín, or relocating players to positions that are not theirs.

The clearest examples have been seen in recent matches, where Eric Garcia has had to occupy the right-back position – either he or Ronald Araujo will do so on Tuesday in Milan due to Jules Kounde's injury, while this Saturday in Valladolid the chosen one will be Héctor Fort – and Iñigo Mar. Although Eric already played at right-back last season with Xavi Hernández – an experiment that didn't quite work out – the defender from Ondarroa hadn't played at left-back for more than five years, a position he has occupied circumstantially in the last two matches against Real Madrid and the Italian team. "Hansi Flick put me at full-back and I don't even remember how he told me. When the manager told me, I simply positioned myself and gave my all for that badge. When you play for Barça, your duty is to give your all even if you're not playing in your favorite position," explained Iñigo after the Copa del Rey final.

Lamine Yamal was only 10 years old The last time the Basque footballer played in that position. Iñigo has been at the top level for almost three decades, but he's never been one for experimentation. He's a left-back, and the coaches he's had have almost never moved him from that position. because it is a guarantee in cutting in, in bringing the ball out from the back, in defending the box from set pieces, and also in managing offside. He has always been a specific player, one of those who are missed when he is not around, as has been demonstrated this season in a Barça that has attacked and defended with a different spirit when Araujo has replaced him in the center of the pitch on several occasions.

However, Alejandro Balde's injury and the limitations of Martín and Fort have forced him to occasionally abandon the position in which he makes the difference. In both the Copa del Rey final and the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter at Montjuïc, he played long periods at left back, a solution that Flick had discussed with him in some training sessions and which he has had to implement in two of the most difficult matches of the season.

A practically unprecedented assignment in Iñigo Martínez's career.

According to this newspaper, the German's assignment to him due to the squad's poor planning regarding full-backs is practically unprecedented in Iñigo's career. Of the more than 500 official matches he has played for Real Sociedad, Athletic Club, Barça, and the Spanish national team, he has only played wide on three occasions, two of them in this last week with the Blaugrana.

To find the first one, we have to go back to December 20, 2017, when Eusebio Sacristán, then Real Sociedad manager, placed him at left-back in a match against Sevilla at Anoeta, which the txuri-urdin won 3 goals to 1. Alberto de la Bella and the midfielder were the Team wing with the Ondarroa defender, who not only opened the scoring with a goal in the 17th minute, but also assisted Carlos Vela in the 90th minute to seal the match in favor of Real Sociedad.

Furthermore, that was his penultimate appearance in La Liga with the San Sebastian team before Athletic Club paid the €32 million release clause to take him in the winter market. Months ago, as has been reported several times, Barça had been close to signing him on the recommendation of Ernesto Valverde, but pressure from the Barça dressing room thwarted the move, which was supposed to be financed with part of the money from Neymar's departure to PSG. Now, at 33, he's trying to win La Liga and Champions League titles with Barça after Mateu Alemany and Xavi recruited him last season. Flick has nothing but praise for the Basque center-back.