Report reveals the key takeaways from the Barcelona preseason tour | OneFootball

The Barcelona preseason tour can be considered a major success on various levels. From a financial standpoint, it was obviously a lucrative deal for the club. Moreover, from a sporting perspective, it gave some key insights as well.

Some of these have been highlighted by Mundo Deportivo. For instance, Hansi Flick’s insistence on regulating minutes for every player has not gone unnoticed. Most players were already limited to 45 minutes per game, and others had an even tighter schedule.

Hansi Flick remains cautious at Barcelona

Photo Courtesy: The official website of FC Barcelona

Marcus Rashford, for instance, did not even play a full half in his debut. Flick clearly wanted to give him time to adapt, and surely enough, he let him play full halves following that.

Even substitutions were made promptly when needed, such as Pau Cubarsi’s substitution when he suffered a knock, and Szczesny being replaced by Diego Kochen in the final game to let the youngster have some minutes.

Inigo Martinez, interestingly, only featured in one match, and Flick took no further risks with him due to fatigue being an issue for him. Similarly, Eric Garcia, Fermin Lopez, and Ferran Torres also only featured in just two matches.

Clear messages for some Barcelona players

The Kochen substitution, however, seemed to also have been a clear enough message for Inaki Pena. With the Spaniard already being linked to an exit this summer, his departure is only going to get accelerated with Flick’s recent substitution decision.

Similarly, Hector Fort also had very limited opportunities. The club seems interested in sending him out on a loan, and it is clear to see that he is not an important part of Flick’s plans moving forward.

Impressive performances worth noting

However, while certain players were not given too many chances, others thrived whenever they featured. The likes of Roony Bardghji, Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez, Toni Fernandez, Gerard Martin, and Jofre Torrents also excelled with the chances they were given, and Martin even showcased his proficiency as a centre-back, adding further depth to the squad.

Even Robert Lewandowski, who remains a goalscoring threat, may now find a lot of back-up options behind him as well. With Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford all being capable of playing in that position, the Polish ace might need to stay at the top of his game to keep his starting position secure.

Other takeaways that the report does not highlight all that well include Lamine Yamal’s exciting displays as the club’s new number ‘10’, Joan Garcia’s impressive displays, and the matchday intensity that the team had to face in Asia and still ended up prevailing.