One spot, three players – Barcelona coach faces major selection dilemma ahead of El Clasico

After securing a statement victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League last night, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will now look to repeat the feat when they face off against arch-rivals Real Madrid this week.

Indeed, the German tactician will face his first official El Clasico on Saturday when Real Madrid host Barça in a monumental top-of-the-table La Liga clash.

Heading into the game, the Barcelona head coach has a very clear idea of his best possible starting lineup based on how the team has performed of late.

The defence and the attacking line pick themselves at this point with Inaki Pena, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha all guaranteed starters.

Two of the three midfield slots are also confirmed with Pedri and Marc Casado confirmed to feature, more so after their masterclasses against Bayern Munich.

One place – three players in contention

It leaves Hansi Flick with a major dilemma as he now has to choose between three players for the remaining slot in midfield.

Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo, and Frenkie de Jong are all pushing for starts for the blockbuster clash on Saturday against Real Madrid, but there is only one vacancy in the lineup.

Fermin, days after returning from injury, got the nod on Wednesday against Bayern Munich and made the most of his opportunity, registering two assists and helping out the team with his energy and work-rate.

Meanwhile, Olmo, too made his comeback from injury last night and showed glimpses of his quality. The Spaniard was excellent before getting injured and can be a real difference-maker, which makes him a contender to start vs Real Madrid.

Finally, there is De Jong, who has been back from injury for some time now and has been building his rhythm with regular minutes off the bench.

The Dutchman’s experience of Clasico encounters and proven quality would give him an edge, while his presence in the team would see Pedri get moved higher up the pitch.

Flick also has the option of Gavi on the bench, although the Spanish gem is unlikely to start just a week after his return. The Barça coach could also use Raphinha as the No. 10 and play another winger on the left wing – but the odds of that seem slim.

So, it will be a toss-up between Fermin, Olmo, and De Jong for the third spot in midfield when Barcelona face Real Madrid. Each choice comes with its own set of benefits and it will be interesting to see who Flick selects.