Hansi Flick must balance Barcelona’s midfield talent as Rodri and Gavi return

Hansi Flick faces his first major selection challenge of the season at Barcelona, with the return of Gavi and Rodri leaving him with four strong options for two holding-midfield positions.

Gavi resumed training on Thursday, while Rodri has gradually regained full fitness and featured in Barcelona’s most recent matches. Their availability, alongside Pedri and Marc Bernal, gives Flick a midfield group containing contrasting qualities but similar ambitions for regular first-team football.

The selection issue comes at a demanding point in Barcelona’s schedule. Flick must decide on his preferred midfield combination before Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Valencia at Mestalla, followed by the club’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord next week.

Marc Bernal is the only player to have started Barcelona’s first three matches of the season, although he did not complete any of them. Pedri started alongside him in the previous two games, before Rodri replaced Pedri in the second half.

Gavi also began the campaign in the starting line-up against Elche, but was forced out by injury. Having now returned to full team training, he is available for selection, although Spanish reports suggest he is unlikely to start against Valencia.

Rodri and Pedri the leading combination

Despite Bernal’s promising performances and Gavi’s return, Flick’s clearest first-choice plan appears to be pairing Rodri with Pedri in the centre of midfield.

The two players offer Barcelona control in possession and the ability to dictate the pace of matches. Flick praised Rodri’s qualities after his arrival at Barcelona, highlighting the experience and authority he could bring to the side, while also identifying Bernal as an important alternative in the same position.

Rodri’s main value lies in the balance he can provide in front of the defence. His presence would allow Pedri greater freedom to move into advanced areas and help construct attacks, a combination Flick believes could give Barcelona more control over games.

However, leaving Bernal out will not be straightforward after his impressive start to the season. The youngster has been a regular presence in the opening fixtures, even though he has been substituted in each of them.

Gavi’s versatility further complicates the decision. He can operate in more than one position, giving him additional opportunities to earn important minutes during the campaign even if he does not return immediately to the starting line-up.

Flick’s first difficult midfield call is therefore unlikely to involve only four players. Barcelona also have Eric Garcia and Dani Olmo as further options, meaning the midfield is among the most heavily populated areas of the squad in terms of talent this season.

The decision against Valencia could offer the first indication of how Flick intends to manage that competition, with Barcelona needing to balance established quality, emerging talent and the demands of a rapidly intensifying fixture list.