Flick Sidelines Barcelona's Youngsters
In the recent match against Leganes, Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick fielded a more experienced lineup, resulting in the team's highest average age under his management. Despite this change, Barcelona suffered a home defeat, raising questions about the effectiveness of sidelining young talents.
Barcelona's German coach, Hansi Flick, fielded a lineup with an average age of 25 years and 240 days against Leganes, marking the oldest squad during his 24-match tenure. This strategic shift aimed to address recent struggles in the league.
The starting eleven included: Inaki Pena, Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde, Pedri, Marc Casado, Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski. Notably, Eric Garcia (23) replaced the 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, who had been a regular starter in the previous 16 matches.
In the second half, Flick introduced younger players to rejuvenate the squad. Substitutions included Ferran Torres (24) for Lewandowski (36), Fermin Lopez (21) for Olmo (26), and Cubarsi (17) for Garcia (23), slightly lowering the team's average age.
Barcelona's recent league performance has been inconsistent, with two losses (against Real Sociedad and Las Palmas), a draw (with Celta Vigo), and a win (over Espanyol) in November. December has brought a draw (with Real Betis), a victory (against Mallorca), and the latest defeat to Leganes.
As the year concludes, Barcelona is set to host Atletico Madrid next Saturday. With Flick serving a touchline ban, decisions regarding the inclusion of young players in the starting lineup remain pivotal for the team's strategy moving forward.