The three unknowns in Hansi Flick’s preferred Barcelona starting XI for next season – report | OneFootball

As Barcelona gear up for their first official game of the season this weekend, Hansi Flick has a massive decision to make around his starting XI.

Having seen the team in full flow in pre-season, the manager left with more positives than negatives and now faces serious questions over departments where he even had clear favourites last season.

As relayed by MARCA, there are three positions in particular that the coach is yet to finalise for his Gala XI – the centre-back, right-back and midfield.

The confusions

For starters, the manager has questions. On who should pair Pau Cubarsi in central defence for the season ahead – at least as the preferred option.

The youngster is a bona fide starter for Flick, especially given his adept understanding of the offside trap. The coach, however, must pick one of Ronald Araujo or Andreas Christensen to join him and both players present their own merits and demerits.

Araujo, while a fierce defender with serious pace, struggles with his concentration, ball-playing and understanding of the offside trap. Christensen, meanwhile, may not have the same pace but is better with the ball at his feet and with the offside trap.

Who will be Cubarsi’s partner at centre-back? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The second big dilemma for the coach is once again in defence, albeit on the right side where Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia are competing for a starting spot.

While the former has been the preferred option for a while now and will likely continue to be better placed on the pecking order, the latter has grown leaps and bounds in recent months and even earned the start in the Joan Gamper trophy.

The final question Flick must solve is in the attacking midfield, where Gavi, Fermin Lopez and Dani Olmo are competing for one spot.

The former was the team’s best player in pre-season, Lopez scored a sensational brace against Como and has been in red-hot form in front of goal, while Olmo is known to be the best option by far if fit and in-form – something that the management count on.

These three positions, thus, remain the only variables in Flick’s selection. The likes of Joan Garcia, Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski complete the Gala XI.