Xavi Hernandez has a few outcasts in Barcelona’s squad. Although he is already thinking about the ideal lineup, which gives him the most guarantees at the moment, the reality is that he has too many variables on the bench, and there are players who cannot relax. Because he will not hesitate to leave some starting point guard as a substitute in important matches, as long as he is not convincing with his performance. At the moment, there are only four footballers who can boast of their consistency.
The first is Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has no alternative, and is accompanied by Ronald Araujo, the undisputed leader of the rearguard. He is accompanied by Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski, who also do not have a reserve guarantee. In other words, the rest will have to fight to advance themselves in the charts. It is very surprising not to see three players on this list, starting with Pedri Gonzalez, who when healthy is the brains of the team.
However, the constant injury problems he has accumulated over the past few seasons have made him irreplaceable at Camp Nou. In addition, the arrival of Ilkay Gundogan and the emergence of Fermin Lopez allowed the former Al Sadd coach to find the pieces that could take over his role. Therefore, the Canaries will have to work hard to regain the absolute trust of the technical staff, as well as the fans.
Because the tendency to be upset has slightly diminished the huge expectations that were with the “8”. Joao Cancelo’s presence in the systems is also not guaranteed. He arrived as a last-minute reinforcement to Barcelona, and for many, this was the best move of the summer, although we must not forget that he arrived on loan from Manchester City, and without the option to buy. This means that Xavi is planning to find alternatives to the Lusitanian, as they cannot rely on a player that the club does not have.
Jules Kounde can also play on the right wing, his usual role during the previous season, which would allow Andreas Christensen to enter the lineup.
Frenkie de Jong is also undeniable for Xavi
Finally, the name that is most surprising is that of Frenkie de Jong, who before his injury was one of the best footballers in Barcelona, and in all of La Liga EA Sports. But, as with Pedri, there is a lot of competition in his position, and the fact that he is not fully convinced as a defensive pivot reduces his options to play everything.
Especially if one of the Galacticos ends up arriving in the summer as Sergio Busquets’ successor.
