Barcelona injuries prompt Xavi to make tactical changes to his team – report

Barcelona have suffered due to a great number of injuries to key players during the ongoing season. And last night, during their game against Athletic Club, two more stars, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, sustained fresh injuries.

The Dutchman had to be taken off due to an ankle problem and was seen wearing a protective boot and using crutches after the game. Meanwhile, Pedri’s recurring thigh issue popped up once again, leaving the midfield prodigy in tears.

While an official update on the nature and extent of their injuries is yet to arrive, the fear is that they could be sidelined for a considerable amount of time.

A tactical change for Xavi

The absence of two of his best midfielders means that Xavi will also have to think things on the tactical front and make some adjustments, reports Mundo Deportivo.

And it appears that the Barcelona manager will set aside his tendency to field four central midfielders together, with one of them starting as a false-winger, in the games to come.

Having put Andreas Christensen in the pivot midfield role, Xavi opted to field three midfielders in De Jong, Pedri, and Gundogan, with each of them enjoying the greater freedom they had in recent matches.

Xavi’s Barcelona hampered by injuries. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

But the injuries to the latter two changes thins now. And, Xavi is now likely to field three natural forwards and three midfielders. It was already put in effect during last night’s game against Athletic after the injuries struck.

Initially, he had opted to bring on Fermin Lopez to replace Frenkie and continued with four midfielders. But once Pedri had to be replaced, Xavi brought on Lamine Yamal, with Fermin moving into midfield, even though the options of Sergi Roberto and Oriol Romeu were there.

This is likely to be the template going forward for Barcelona until Frenkie and Pedri return, with three midfielders – Fermin, Christensen, and Gundogan – starting along with three forwards.

Robert Lewandowski is a certain starter while the likes of Joao Felix, Yamal, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres, who is close to returning from injury, will jostle for the two other positions.