5 Midfield Setups Hansi Flick Can Try for Barcelona Without De Jong This Season

Barcelona have faced multiple stretches without Frenkie de Jong this season. Flick’s midfield reshuffles reveal six different solutions he has already tested.

Casado and Pedri – Flick’s Go-To Pairing

The most common adjustment has been Marc Casado alongside Pedri. Flick leaned on this duo in league clashes against Levante, Valencia, Osasuna, and Girona, plus the Champions League meeting with Olympiacos. Casado became the default stand-in for De Jong earlier in the campaign, though most of those minutes came months ago. With Pedri now fully fit, this combination naturally resurfaces as the most straightforward fix.

Eric Garcia and Pedri – Double Pivot Experiment

Another option Flick explored was moving Eric Garcia into midfield next to Pedri. After initially preferring Casado, the coach switched to Garcia in a deeper role, and the pairing delivered composure and balance. Yet Garcia has since cemented himself in central defence, making it risky to pull him out of a position where he is now indispensable.

Eric, Olmo and Fermín – Attack-Minded Setup

When De Jong was suspended against Athletic Club and Pedri also unavailable, Flick opted for a more adventurous trio. Garcia anchored deeper while Olmo and Fermín pushed forward. The same formula was repeated against Copenhagen. This gave Barcelona added creativity but required strict discipline from Garcia to hold the structure. It showed Flick’s willingness to gamble depending on the opponent.

Casado and Bernal – Youthful Partnership

In Copa del Rey fixtures against Alaves and Racing Santander, Flick trusted La Masia talents Casado and Marc Bernal. Pedri was introduced later in both matches. Bernal impressed with maturity, but the pressure of decisive fixtures could stretch this youthful duo. Still, the coach’s faith in academy players was evident.

Casado, Olmo and Fermín – Mallorca Variation

Against Mallorca, with Pedri unavailable and De Jong only fit enough for the bench, Flick lined up Casado as pivot with Olmo and Fermín ahead. This blend offered attacking spark while maintaining defensive cover. It highlighted yet another tweak in Flick’s rotation, balancing control and freedom depending on circumstances.