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After the 4-1 win over Villarreal and yesterday’s recovery session, Hansi Flick will have only this Monday’s training session to prepare for the match against Atletico Madrid, with the obligation of overturning the 4-0 first-leg deficit to reach the Copa del Rey final.
Barça will have to do so without the suspended Eric Garcia, sent off in the first leg of the semi-final, and without the injured Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen, Gavi, and Robert Lewandowski, the latest to be ruled out due to an eye socket injury.
Joao Cancelo at left-back, Dani Olmo as false-nine?
Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick could decide to make a few surprise selections for the game against Atletico Madrid as Barcelona eye a huge comeback.
The absence of Lewandowski clears the way for Ferran Torres to start as the only available centre-forward. However, it is not ruled out that Flick opts for Dani Olmo as a false nine in a bid to surprise.
There is a precedent, precisely in last season’s Copa del Rey, although in a single-leg Round of 16 tie, and it worked well: a 5-1 win over Real Betis with two assists from the Spanish international, who also struck the post.
Olmo as false-nine vs Atletico? (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
Given Ferran’s recent ineffective performances it could make sense for Flick to switch things up and use Olmo in a role higher up the pitch.
This could be Flick’s solution to allow Pedri, a certain starter, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Olmo to all feature in the starting eleven, with Marc Bernal as defensive midfielder.
Meanwhile, in defence, there could be a notable change, with Joao Cancelo in line to start at left-back ahead of Alejandro Balde.
Flick had already benched the academy graduate for two matches last month before reinstating him to the lineup against Villarreal this weekend.
However, he could once again turn to Cancelo to provide an attacking option at left-back while also containing the threat of Giuliano Simeone.