Flick could field a new-look Barcelona midfield trident against Alaves – report

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Kickjolly · AI-written · automatically reviewed · Barca Universal ↗

Hansi Flick is considering a new midfield combination for Barcelona's match against Deportivo Alaves, featuring Gavi alongside Pedri and Rodri, according to SPORT as reported by Barca Universal. Gavi has only played 191 minutes this season and his inclusion would be his first start in a while. The decision is part of Flick's rotation plan due to a demanding schedule and several players being unavailable or needing rest. Dani Olmo's injury absence has reduced Flick's midfield options.

Barcelona's upcoming fixtures against Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are driving Flick's decision to rotate his squad, including trying out different midfield combinations. Gavi's energy and pressing ability make him a useful option for this strategy. The new midfield trio of Gavi, Pedri, and Rodri would be a seventh different combination used by Flick this season. This rotation allows Flick to assess different balances of technical quality and defensive work.

Flick has several midfield alternatives available, including Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal, Fermin, and Brian Farinas. Gavi's potential start against Alaves would give him valuable playing time without overloading the same players. The match against Alaves is seen as an opportunity for Barcelona to respond positively after consecutive defeats against PSG and Real Madrid. Barcelona have confirmed Olmo will miss around a month with an adductor injury.