From Joan Garcia to Roony Bardghji – Key takeaways from Vissel Kobe 1-3 Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona kicked off their pre-season with a 3-1 win over Vissel Kobe on Sunday in Japan, and the first impressions from the players and new arrivals could not be better.

The Catalans arrived at a level far better than what was expected of a team out of action for two months, and while they naturally had their hiccups, the overall takeaways were only positive.

Hansi Flick fielded 24 players on the night, with most names getting at least 45 minutes on the field.

Marcus Rashford, Joan Garcia, Jofre Torrents, Roony Bardghji, Joan Garcia and Dro all made their debuts for the team and chipped in to aid in the scoreline.

Barça Universal brings you department-wise takeaways from the team’s first win of the new term.

In goal – A worthy signing

Joan Garcia made his Barcelona debut. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

With Marc-Andre Ter Stegen ruled out through surgery and omitted from the squad, Joan Garcia was handed the number 1 shirt on the night and proved on his debut that he has what it takes to defend the crest.

The 24-year-old has been highly hyped as the saviour of Barcelona in goal, and while he was not called into action too regularly, he showed great resistance and pulled off some key saves.

His 1v1 save just before Vissel Kobe’s eventual equaliser particularly caught fans’ attention and it is safe to say that the player made a great statement on his debut that he is here to stay and serve as a starter.

A clarity on the defensive pecking order

Barcelona’s defence seems secure. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

Hansi Flick clearly placed players in accordance with the position he sees best suited for them, and his utilisation of players provided great clarity on his plans going ahead this season.

Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia both played a half each at right-back, clearing the air over their future and the fact that they will serve as full-backs this season. For the former, in particular, it looks set that he will no longer be a centre-back option.

Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez started as the central defenders on the night, and while the latter went on to make a silly error, the duo looked relatively sharp for the first game of the season.

Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen came on in the second half, leaving fans with good reason to believe the coach will count on them both as the season progresses despite talks of a departure in the department.

Alejandro Balde started at left-back and will continue as the team’s primary option in the department. Jofre Torrents, however, earned his debut in the second half and showed great athleticism, attacking instinct and defensive cover and may well be Flick’s backup.

Gerard Martin came on late in the game to replace his La Masia teammate, but his late introduction may well be a warning that he is the third choice.

The midfield turns up fresh

Barcelona have a strong midfield this season. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

Of all the departments on the field, Barcelona’s midfield was the sector that gave the most fresh and promising performances across both halves, and unsurprisingly so given the sheet talent in the squad.

Pedri looked far from a player who had not played for two months and was absolutely on song during his time on the field, dancing with the ball and dictating the play. Gavi looked far more confident in himself and put up a strong show as well.

Fermin Lopez was decent at best, and Dani Olmo, who replaced him at half-tim,e was far more influential. The latter looked fresh, inspired and thrived in the tight spaces just as he has done whenever at his best.

Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casado came on for the second period and both players shone bright.

While the former was reliable and reassuring, Casado stepped out of his usual zone and showcased brilliant passing range and attacking threat with his line-breaking moves.

Promising debuts in attack

Marcus Rashford put on a decent performance in limited time. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha all had their blues on the night and will catch steam in the coming games. The spotlight in attack, however, shone on the three debutants.

Marcus Rashford came on for 34 minutes in the second half and looked far sharper than anticipated for a player who has been out of action for a significant period.

He looked motivated to take defenders on, did not look out of place in the buildup and even threaded a needle through the opposition defence to provide the pre-assist for Barcelona’s second goal on the night.

Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez, La Masia’s latest debutant in Flick’s plans, also scored a Golazo with a stunning volley and announced his arrival on the big stage in style. Needless to say, fans should be excited about the talent the club have in him.

The standout debutant in attack, however, was Roony Bardghji, who simply could not put a foot wrong after entering the field in the second half.

The new arrival completed 84% of his passes, 100% of his dribbles, created one key pass and racked up 30 touches in just 46 minutes on the field.

His movement with and off the ball were surprisingly fluent for a new signing and he created a potent threat on the wing.

Bardghji capped off his night with a great finish to give Barcelona the lead on the night and is, quite clearly, the player to look forward to the most as a new arrival. He will not be with the reserve team for long if he keeps his level up.