RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Report – FIFA World Cup influences Flick’s rotations at Barcelona this season
The FIFA World Cup was a spectacle to behold this summer, but the aftermath of the tournament continues to influence managerial decisions at the club level.
With players not sufficiently rested and clearly overworked, the onus has been on the managers to ensure players’ minutes are adequately managed.
At a club like Barcelona where almost the entire starting XI was at the World Cup, the situation has not been easy to deal with and Hansi Flick and Co. have made conscious efforts to ensure that players are gradually phased in.
Only four players with 180 minutes
So far this season, Barcelona have played two official games in La Liga and won both, and the manager’s concern towards player fitness has been clear from the get-go.
Espart has been a revelation. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images)
As reported by Mundo Deportivo , only four players have completed the full 180 minutes for the Blaugrana so far. The said players are Joan Garcia, Gerard Martin, Xavi Espart and Fermin Lopez.
Unsurprisingly, all four are players who did not play at the World Cup. While Garcia was called up and unused, the other three players were not even called up for the event.
All four players, however, have been sensational for Hansi Flick’s side so far in the opening games and look set to keep their respective starting spots.
The breakdown of minutes
Beyond the four who have played every minute this campaign is a long pecking order of players who have been called off the field at different stages of the games.
Being managed with caution. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Eric Garcia, who was part of Spain’s success at the World Cup, has started both games and racked up 170 minutes this season. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, both starters at the World Cup – have played 155 and 143 minutes respectively.
Behind them are Marc Bernal and Pedri on 143 and 130 minutes respectively while Anthony Gordon, Andreas Christensen and Pau Cubarsi follow them with 105, 90 and 90 minutes to their names.
Dani Olmo, given his fragile fitness, sits on just 52 minutes this season and Alejandro Balde surprisingly remains with his account unopened, with the defender’s future uncertain in the final few days of the summer window.
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