Three slowest outfield players in the Barcelona squad – report | OneFootball

With just one match left before we embark on the third international break of the season, it is fair to say that Barcelona have had a mixed campaign so far.

The club have lacked the defensive solidity of last season and on many occasions, they have lacked the dynamism to compete with their opponents.

A key reason for this could be the relative lack of speed for a few of the star players in the team. And on that end, Catalunya Radio has come up with a podcast detailing the fastest players in the team, according to Barcelona rankings.

Oriol Romeu: Slowest Barça player

The podcast also listed three of the slowest outfield players in the Barcelona squad – players who fall behind the pecking order in terms of speed.

The first name on the list of Oriol Romeu. The new signing from Girona joined the club in the summer as a short-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.

The Spaniard has certainly not been able to replace Busquets in terms of speed, as he is currently the slowest player in the Barcelona squad.

Oriol Romeu is the slowest Barcelona player (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

This is a problem area for Barça, as Xavi would prefer someone who can offer speed in the pivot position, which is an essential component for the second line of press.

Pedri & Fermin Lopez on the podium

While Romeu tops the list, Pedri and Fermin Lopez are other slow players in the current Barcelona team.

Pedri is certainly a surprise inclusion on the list, as the Spaniard is known for his dynamism and agility in the middle of the park.

At the same time, though, the youngster does lack raw speed, which is perhaps the number one criterion of this data shown by Catalunya Radio.

As for Fermin Lopez, the youngster has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence since the start of the season. And as an attacker, he must surely ramp up his speed in order to become a more prominent starter in the team.

Surprising list

Barcelona have several very fast players among their ranks, with the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo, Alejandro Balde, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres in the mix.

However, they also have a fair few steady sapiens. Which is why Pedri and Lopez’s inclusion in the list would be a bit surprising for fans.

For example, while Ilkay Gundogan is one of the quickest thinkers in the team, and a step ahead of everyone, the German at 33 is far from a pacy midfielder. He is often tracked easily while carrying the ball, too, which was especially evident against Real Sociedad.

Not to forget, Sergi Roberto and Marcos Alonso, who have infamously made a name for themselves as being rather slow fullbacks.