Flick joins the fish in the basket theory

BarcelonaThe starting eleven of Barça in the derby against Espanyol contrasted, and a lot, with what Atlético de Madrid presented against Sevilla. While the Blaugranas made some small rotations but maintained the backbone of the starting team, the Mattress makers made many rotations. This is how the story ended on the scoreboard: Barça won and left La Liga almost sealed; on the other hand, Atlético de Madrid lost in Seville. While it is true that Cholo Simeone had some notable absences, he took the Champions League into much greater account, aware that in the league tournament he has nothing left to fight for and that he prefers a starting eleven with fresh legs in the second leg of the quarter-finals.

The 0-2 deficit from the first leg is a very complicated task to overcome for Barça. Flick had to decide whether he wanted to put all his eggs in the La Liga basket and secure it, or save himself and look for a miracle in the Champions League. Real Madrid drawing on Friday against Girona seemed like an ideal scenario to tip the balance in favor of Europe, as Barça had even more margin in the internal competition. But it was not so. Pedri, who had retired with discomfort on Wednesday, was a starter and played the 90 minutes. Lamine Yamal too. So the two most differential players of the team will arrive at the Metropolitano loaded with minutes. "It wasn't what I had planned, but [with Espanyol's goal] I had to change my plans a bit," acknowledged the German coach after the derby. Cancelo, Rashford, and Olmo, who started last Wednesday and were initially rested, also ended up coming on in the second half to ensure that the three points stayed at Camp Nou.

Pedri's case is more sensitive than Lamine Yamal's, as he has reached spring with two significant muscle injuries under his belt and a high risk of suffering a third. In the league match ten days ago at the Metropolitano, the Canary Islander had a slight thigh discomfort that set off alarms in the locker room. Nevertheless, it was decided that he would not undergo tests and he was recovered to start in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals –where he looked physically diminished–, although he was substituted at half-time following Cubarsí's expulsion. With the discomfort constantly monitored by the physios, Pedri was back in the starting eleven against Espanyol. He completed the match with the instruction not to push himself too hard and to gain confidence for the decisive fixture this Tuesday in Madrid, where he will once again be a starter. Sometimes the best remedy against injuries is to keep playing.

What generates the most doubt in the coaching staff is the recovery of Marc Bernal, who was expected to receive the all-clear this Monday before traveling to Madrid. In Sunday's session, the Berguedà midfielder was once again absent. If he makes it to the Metropolitano duel, it will be with great difficulty, which gives more starting options to Frenkie de Jong, who enjoyed his first minutes after injury in the derby, or to Pablo Gavi, who has returned to a good level after several months out.

To sign wardrobe essentials, one will need to sell first

"Flick is a great group manager, but also a veteran in the world of football. He has things clear and does not speculate at key moments. If he has the opportunity to secure the League, he wants to take advantage of it. And, in the next match, we'll see," they point out from Sant Joan Despí. Perhaps the fans and the environment were surprised by his approach in the derby, but the club says they saw it coming. In the locker room, largely made up of a group of young people with energy and a desire to conquer the world, they also didn't have much desire to stay on the bench. "It has been an intense job, but we have two days to recover. We will be ready for Tuesday," Flick concluded. So, between speculating and attacking, the coach opted to secure the three points and, incidentally, keep the team in a positive dynamic. Legs are important, but so is morale.

Even so, the derby leaves a slightly more worrying second reading. As the season has progressed and wear and tear among the players has accumulated, it has become evident that Barça's squad is not wide enough to aspire to everything with guarantees. "We have a good eleven, but we lack depth on the bench," admit sources from the sporting leadership. The famous wardrobe depth. The club's delicate economic situation, which continues to not meet the 1:1 rule of financial fair play after five seasons, prevents normal signings. And although Joan Laporta, president-elect of Barça, publicly expresses his conviction that the problem will be solved this summer, the reality is that the club does not see it clearly that it can be reached. At least without making a significant sale. That is why it is no coincidence that offers for marketable players like Ferran Torres and Alejandro Balde are being leaked.