The difference between Eric Garcia and De Jong beyond their salaries: the immediate takeaways from Barça-Osasuna

BarcelonaBarça defeated Osasuna in a hard-fought match (2-0). Raphinha broke the Navarrese side's resistance twice in the second half. Here are some immediate highlights.

You can't be a better footballer. Barça had to work incredibly hard to break down Osasuna's defensive wall. These matches, so common during Guardiola's time on the bench, unnerve the attackers as the minutes tick by. Their runs fail to find fruit, their dribbles fall flat, and the ball just won't go in. Lamine Yamal tried everything, but it seems the opponents are starting to figure out his tricks. Fortunately, the league leaders have other geniuses with the patience required in such congested situations. Luckily, Pedri will make a name for himself at the Camp Nou and will always be their best weapon to escape any trap.

Good manners. Flick goes to bed early, not caring if Real Madrid plays at 9 pm and might drop points. He also prefers not to change anything when things are working. In this sense, he has consolidated Gerard Martín's invention in the defense axis —that's six consecutive starts in this position since the November break— and also Eric Garcia's performance in midfield. Let's pause for a moment to consider the Martorell native's game plan as a pivot. He'll never be as exuberant as De Jong, but he'll always surpass the Dutchman in the art of controlling the ball and passing it without needing three or four touches. So easy, and yet so difficult. And much cheaper.

If they could vote for Laporta... There are two players closely linked to the current Barcelona president's continued tenure: Lewandowski and Rashford. The Polish striker, a substitute for the second consecutive La Liga match, is out of contract this summer and would be delighted to extend his stay in Catalonia, even on a reduced salary. Meanwhile, the Englishman is currently on loan, and signing him permanently would cost between €30 and €35 million, in addition to a top-tier wage. Both are contributing to the team's performance, but neither is a guaranteed starter. Therefore, renewing their contracts will be, at the very least, debatable. However, the debate will be less intense if their veteran agent, Pini Zahavi, a close friend of Laporta, can continue doing business with Barça.

He was from Barça and ended up at Madrid. Osasuna's only hope of troubling their opponents was a young Barcelona striker who spent a few years at La Masia. In fact, he coincided with Balde and Casadó, now established players at the Camp Nou, on a trip to West Africa that changed the lives of many youngsters from the Barça academy. But the story of Víctor Muñoz, a red-haired speedster with the name and surname of an illustrious Barça player from the 80s, is even more amusing. Because after being discarded by Barça in 2017, he ended up at Real Madrid, where a few months ago he had the chance to equalize in a Clásico at Montjuïc. Now, having become the fastest player in La Liga, he's earning his keep in Pamplona. Such is football.