German Hansi Flick, coach of Barcelona’s first football team, has finalized his formation to face Real Madrid this evening in the Spanish League Championship.
Barcelona currently sits in first place with 27 points after 10 rounds, while Real Madrid is in second place with 24 points in the league standings.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional,” Flick has decided to surprise Real Madrid by including Spanish star Dani Olmo in the starting lineup for the match.
The player impressed in the final training session before the match, prompting Flick to select him for the Catalan team and catch Real Madrid off guard.
The versatility of the Spanish player, who can operate in various positions across midfield and attack, gives Flick confidence in his immediate impact in this crucial match that will significantly influence the La Liga title race.
The newspaper added that the German coach has faith in the season’s standout star and best player, Brazilian Raphinha, whom he sees as a key factor in this Clásico, especially after his historic performance against Bayern Munich, where he scored a hat-trick against Manuel Neuer.
Following the final training session before the match, Flick spoke with Raphinha, conveying his strong belief in the player’s ability to lead Barcelona to victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has expressed concern about the Brazilian winger, who is enjoying the best form of his career with Barcelona this season, emphasizing to his players the importance of being alert to Raphinha’s sudden movements between the lines.
With this lineup, Flick appears willing to rely on the youth and energy of Casado, alongside the talents of Pedri and Olmo, while De Jong will start the match on the bench. The expected starting lineup for Hansi Flick’s team is as follows:
– Goalkeeper: Iñaki Peña
– Defense: Jules Koundé, Coparsi, Iñigo Martínez, Balde
– Midfield: Casado, Dani Olmo, Pedri
– Attack: Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal