Barcelona may ring the changes tonight – but Flick’s best XI is a winning formula

Barcelona are a third of the way into the season and Hansi Flick’s side can make a case for being one of the best teams in Europe.

Flick appears to have settled on his preferred starting line-up, made up in part of players who got there out of necessity but have now done enough to convince the German they should stay.

Dani Olmo, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Fermin Lopez have recovered from recent injuries. Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen are on their way back, and Eric Garcia is back in two weeks at the most.

So how will Flick deal with a full squad of first-team players who all want to play? And what does his best XI look like?

Ahead of Barca’s Champions League clash against Red Star Belgrade – where some fringe players could be looking to prove themselves – we take a look.

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Pena has played every game since No.1 Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s season-ending knee injury, and there are no signs that will change in the foreseeable future.

Barcelona decided to sign Szczesny as a backup. Flick believed he lost a world-class goalkeeper in Ter Stegen, but also a veteran with great influence in terms of leadership in a young dressing room. Signing 34-year-old Szczesny made complete sense in the manager’s eyes, with some around the club believing the Pole would need some time to become first choice.

A shaky performance from Pena in Barca’s 3-0 win against Deportivo Alaves sparked concern among fans, with sources close to the dressing room – who, like all those quoted in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect the relationship – saying a change in target would not have been a big surprise. But Flick had other plans.

“Inaki will play against Sevilla and Bayern. I can confirm that, Flick told reporters ahead of one of the biggest weeks of the season for Barca. “There is no reason for us to change; he has been very good in goal. “

Since then, Pena has repaid the German’s trust. The 25-year-old was brilliant in the 4-0 win against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. “I don’t know what people say outside, but inside the club I’ve felt full confidence from my manager, teammates and everyone else all season – and I’m so happy about this,” Pena told Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo. week.

Benching Pena would have damaged the academic candidate’s confidence. Instead, he is now completely devoted to his manager – a brave call by Flick that has been proven right.

No debate here. Konde is Barcelona’s undisputed right-back after the French defender finally accepted it was best for all sides for him to move across from central defence.

At the start of the 2023–24 season, the 25-year-old spoke to then-manager Xavi and told him he felt his best position was in central defence. But time and constant improvement have shown him to be a much better fit on the right.

He has become one of the most consistent performers in this campaign and has been a rock in the back. Lamine Yamal called him “the best right-back in the world” in a comment on an Instagram post by Kounde.

It is also true that Konde does not have much competition in that position. 18-year-old La Masia product Hector Fort is the only natural backup and he is far from offering what Konde does.

Central defense: Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez (backups: Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo)

Flick had no choice but to build his defense around Cubarsi and Martinez when the season started as they were the only senior centre-back duo available from last term.

But three months on, they have every right to be considered among the best partnerships in Europe. Martinez is the orchestrator of Barca’s famous offside trap under Flick, while Cubarsi gives them unrivaled vision in terms of build-up play.

“Inigo Martinez is a fundamental piece, a real leader in this team,” Flick said after his side beat Espanyol at the weekend. He has also praised Cubarsi, saying: “The way Pau is playing at his age is incredible.”

The former Germany and Bayern Munich coach will soon have more players to deal with, with Araujo and Christensen nearing returns from long-term injuries. Former Manchester City defender Garcia must also be included in that group as the return of Gavi and De Jong means he will not be used as an emergency midfielder.

Araujo is expected to return from his hamstring injury before Christensen. But as much as the 25-year-old Uruguayan has been a highly valued asset over the past few years, he cannot consider himself an immediate starter; he will have to fight for his place.

Those close to the dressing room say Flick is quite aware that Cubarsi and Martinez are his partnership at the moment – and he doesn’t plan to fix what isn’t broken. The players on the outside face a challenge to force their way back inside.

A similar situation to Konde; Balde owns this position, partly through his achievements, but also because of a lack of competition.

Barca could not count on Balde for most of last season due to a serious hamstring injury. Now the 21-year-old is back following a carefully monitored recovery plan, and Flick is managing his workload very carefully.

Former Barcelona Athletic (reserve team) left-back Martin, 22, is his replacement but does not represent a real threat to the Spain international.

Holding midfielder: Marc Casado (backup: Frenkie de Jong)

Few would have expected it in the summer, but Casado is Flick’s starting midfielder, well ahead of De Jong.

It is, in a way, convenient for Barcelona after De Jong’s prolonged absence with an ankle injury. The 27-year-old Dutchman cannot rush into action and needs to be eased back before he can perform at his best.

Casado was the solution, but also seems to fit Flick’s style better. In a team that punishes opponents with direct transitions, Casado’s short, quick passes are perfect, and the 21-year-old perhaps offers more in that sense than a ball-carrier like De Jong. He is also the perfect foil for Pedri and Olmo, who are given a freer role in midfield, while Casado remains disciplined in his position.

The latest La Masia gem, Casado’s performances also mean there is less pressure on De Jong and Gavi to start immediately after recovering. But will De Jong soon be able to take Casado’s place? There are serious doubts about that in the dressing room.

Attacking midfielders: Pedri and Dani Olmo (backups: Fermin Lopez, Gavi)

Pedri has been among Barcelona’s most important players this season. The 21-year-old midfielder has put his injury problems behind Flick and is playing his best football since joining from Las Palmas four years ago. No one comes close to him in this form.

Since returning from his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last month, Gavi has been used in Pedri’s position for the few minutes he has played. But for now, he’s expected to play a secondary role as he gets back up to speed.

The second place in the midfield is taken by Olmo. The €60m ($77m; £50m at current exchange rates) summer signing’s impact has been impressive, to the point where you can’t see him leaving La Masia as a 16-year-old – he’s scored five goals in five La Liga games and missed the first one. two when he was not registered and four others through injury.

Behind him is last season’s sensation, Fermin. The 21-year-old shone in an attacking midfield role last season before becoming part of Spain’s European and Olympic gold medal-winning squads this summer (he was player of the tournament in France). But that position is seriously overcrowded at Barca now.

Fermin extended his deal last week, signing a new one until 2029. He can adapt to multiple positions in attack, which is good news as Olmo, Pedri and a fully fit Gavi would be ahead of him in the pecking order.

How do you replace the best attacking trio in Europe’s top five leagues with 34 goals between them? The answer: you can’t. First because of their quality, but also because no other attackers pose a real threat.

Yamal is the undisputed star of this team. The 17-year-old winger has grasped his platform since winning Euro 2024 with Spain this summer, scoring six goals and providing eight assists in 15 games.

On the left you have the season’s most improved player: Raphinha. He has contributed 20 goals so far and his off-the-ball commitment suits Flick’s pressing style like a glove.

Then there is only one Lewandowski. No one in the squad has his skills or goalscoring ability. The 36-year-old looks like the very best version of his old self again under Flick, who also worked with him at Bayern.

Behind them there is little in the way of quality replacements. Torres is injured now but has been underwhelming when available despite Flick giving him opportunities. Fati is fourth in the pecking order after failing to make an impact on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion last season. Victor, 22, joined from Girona this summer after spending last term with Barca’s second team, but is only a fringe player.

Perhaps the biggest threat to the forward line is that a midfielder like Fermin or Olmo steps forward. But why change a winning formula?

(Top photo: Alex Caparros/Getty Images)