A candle for the Moreneta and a small joy for Flick

BarcelonaThe Celta-Barça match was about to begin. Dani Olmo, dressed in the regulation tracksuit, had just sat down on the bench at Balaídos. He was supposed to be a substitute. Suddenly, Hansi Flick approached him. "Casadón's injured, you're playing." Such is football; Olmo not only unexpectedly entered the pitch, but he also played the full 90 minutes and delivered one of his best performances in a Barça shirt. He wasn't the only one. In fact, Barça rediscovered their best form in Vigo Despite the balancing act the coach had to perform due to absences.

On Monday, Marc Casadó underwent medical tests after feeling a twinge in his adductor while warming up at Celta's training ground. To the delight of the Barça fans, there is no serious injury. It was just a minor scare, so no medical report has even been issued. The expectation is that he will be able to play in two weeks against Athletic Bilbao. A small consolation for the coach, amidst the uncertainty that an international break always generates and with the already known absences.

From an overcrowded midfield to a lack of personnel

If at the beginning of the season it seemed that Barça had an overabundance of players in midfield, injuries and suspensions have taken their toll. While hoping that predictions hold true and Casadó will be included in the squad, the injured Gavi and Pedri are not guaranteed a spot, nor is De Jong, who must serve his one-match suspension for the double yellow card he received at Balaídos. Although Barça is considering appealing some of the cards he received, the club does not expect the Dutchman to be available on the 22nd. Therefore, the coach has – barring any further surprises – Casadó, Fermín, and Olmo at his disposal. Next is Marc Bernal, who, after many days out, played in the final moments of the match. Beyond that, emergency solutions such as moving Christensen further forward or giving minutes to the young Dro, a player with a bright future but still inexperienced.

All the absences are significant, but at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper they particularly regret De Jong's absence. "It was an avoidable expulsion," sources within the club's hierarchy point out, adding that they highly value his taking "the step forward" that the coach had requested. the most complete match of the seasonAnd one of the best performances Barça has ever seen: pressing, retaining possession, and distributing the ball intelligently.

Marc Bernal has fifteen days to convince Hansi Flick

Bernal's case is special. After making a strong entrance into the first team in August 2024, a knee injury He left him without playing for a year.He's been cleared to play since September of this year, but Flick has barely used him. He's only played 32 minutes spread across five matches. He's spent the other eight entirely on the bench. "Flick believes he's not ready yet. He needs to show more in training," explains a source at Sant Joan Despí, where they reiterate their support and confidence in the young player from Berguedà, whose contract they recently renewed. In fact, following the serious injury, the club had already designed a very gradual and long-term return plan, anticipating that he might not be able to start until after Christmas. In any case, they admit that he's getting less playing time than expected. Bernal has fifteen days to try to convince Flick, the duration of the international break during which Barça, as usual, loses half of its first-team squad. Spain has called up five players (Lamine Yamal, Cubarsi, Olmo, Fermín, and Ferran) for the matches against Georgia and Turkey. The inclusion of Lamine, who is still not 100% fit after a groin injury, has generated controversy and unease at Barça, as the winger from Rocafonda had already been injured with the red one in September. Coach De la Fuente's version is that they are playing for World Cup qualification and that if he's ready to play league matches, he's also ready for the national team. "We hope he doesn't get injured. Maybe we'll have to light a candle at the Black Madonna," one of the directors says ironically, also referring to Koundé, who is traveling with France despite not playing in Vigo due to discomfort. Marcus Rashford (England), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands), Roony Bardghji (Sweden), Andreas Christensen (Denmark), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), and Ronald Araujo (Uruguay) are the other Barcelona players called up.