21-year-old Barcelona midfielder making a good case for a starting spot in the Copa final | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are facing a very hectic schedule in this last phase of the 2024-25 season as they are still in contention for the three big trophies, i.e., the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League.

The Blaugranes are set to play twice almost every week going forward, and it will be a significant challenge for Hansi Flick to manage the minutes of his players to ensure they remain fresh and competitive, while also not losing ground in any of these competitions.

In such a context, having good squad depth would be necessary for the German coach, and luckily, he has competent substitutes for most of his regular starters.

This is particularly the case for the attacking midfield position, where Dani Olmo is the starter whenever he is healthy and available. But when he is not able to play, Flick plays Fermin Lopez and Gavi in his stead, with the former starting 5 of the last 6 games for Barcelona.

Fermin Lopez has also taken good advantage of the opportunities coming his way. This is clear from the fact that despite not being a regular starter, he has accumulated around 1500 minutes, in which he has scored 5 goals and provided 9 assists.

He was again impressive in the last game against Borussia Dortmund, as although he was unable to get on the scoresheet, it was his action that led to the only goal for the Blaugranes on the night.

As a result, SPORT notes that he is now the favourite to start in the attacking midfield position for the upcoming Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. While Olmo would normally be ahead of him in the pecking order, the former RB Leipzig midfielder is not expected to be in his best shape for this game, and Fermin’s form supports his candidature for a starting spot.

The fact that he had already been a starter in the last league El Clasico, makes it even more likely for him to start for Barcelona against Real Madrid once again.

Gavi could also be an option for this role, but Flick has already expressed his preference of playing him more as an internal midfielder or a pivot than as an attacking midfielder.