Dilemma with Fermín in the midfield.
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The German coach will have to decide between taking a risk with the player from El Campillo as a starter this Saturday against Girona or looking for other alternatives.
The absences will affect FC Barcelona's return to competition next Saturday against Girona (4:15 p.m.) in an emergency derby at Montjuïc. Although only eight La Liga matches have been played and there is still a long way to go, the Blaugrana cannot lose any more ground on Real Madrid, especially with the Clásico on October 26th looming, while Míchel's team needs to escape the relegation zone by any means necessary. One of the positions giving Hansi Flick the most headaches is the attacking midfielder, with several names on the chopping block. It's curious that the position that, a priori, seemed most overbooked is the one generating the most uncertainty ahead of the Catalan derby.
https://e-noticies.cat/es/futbol/inesperado-barca-pone-condicion-vender-fermin-lopez-solo
Under normal circumstances, the attacking midfielder would be Fermín, but the El Campillo native, who has already begun to touch the ball, has not yet been fully discharged, and after three weeks of injury, perhaps it would be advisable not to start him, also with the Clásico in mind. Hansi Flick and the staff will evaluate his improvement in upcoming training sessions and whether he's fit to start.
If they feel it's better not to risk it, there are other options. With Gavi injured and Raphinha in a similar situation to Fermín, and with the Brazilian performing much better on the wing than behind the number 9, Hansi Flick could consider starting Marc Casadó (Marc Bernal still needs to gradually gain playing time) and moving Pedri forward. This decision has its pros and cons, as the Tenerife native is emerging as a playmaker, and it's unlikely the German coach will keep him off the ball.
Another variable is whether to place Ferran Torres or Marcus Rashford in the attacking midfield. The Valencian has become a number 9 for his manager, even ahead of Robert Lewandowski, whom he uses to the fullest. And in the case of the Englishman, it's not a position he's used frequently in his career (he's only started three times), and the time Hansi Flick crossed him (it was to play as a forward) didn't work out.
Finally, the coach must look to the youth system, which is much more than a resource. The best fit is Dro, although the Galician is better suited as a midfielder. A similar situation exists with Toni Fernández, who is more of a winger than a playmaker, although he has the potential to play, and excel, behind the number 9.
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