Fermín´s dilemma in the attacking midfield

The azulgrana team will return to competition this weekend (Saturday, 16:15 hours) in a Catalan derby full of urgency in Montjuïc. Although only eight rounds of the league have been played, Barça cannot afford to lose more ground against Real Madrid, especially with the classic on October 26 just around the corner. Meanwhile, Míchel´s team arrives with the need to escape the relegation zone.

Tests for Dani Olmo

This Monday, the definitive diagnosis of Dani Olmo´s injury will be known, who had to leave the Spanish national team´s camp. There are different versions between the RFEF and Luis de la Fuente: the federative body claims that the player arrived with discomfort, while the coach stated after the victory against Georgia (2-0) that he was "in perfect condition" when he joined the group. In any case, he suffers from a calf injury and is ruled out for the match against Girona. Medical tests at the azulgrana facilities will clarify whether he will be available for the classic or if the recovery will take longer.

Pending Fermín

Under normal circumstances, the attacking midfield would be for Fermín. However, the player from El Campillo, who has already started training with the ball, still does not have medical clearance. After three weeks injured, perhaps the most prudent thing —also considering the classic— would be not to force his return from the start. Hansi Flick and his coaching staff will analyze his progress in the upcoming training sessions before making a definitive decision about his starting position. If they ultimately choose not to take risks, there are other possibilities. With Gavi injured and Raphinha in a physical situation similar to Fermín´s —in addition to the fact that the Brazilian performs better on the wing than as an attacking midfielder—, Flick could consider including Marc Casadó in the starting eleven (since Marc Bernal still needs to accumulate minutes progressively) and pushing Pedri´s position forward. That choice, however, has its drawbacks, as the Tenerife native is shining as a playmaker, and moving him further up would mean distancing him from the ball.

Pedri or youth academy

Another alternative is to place Ferran Torres or Marcus Rashford in the attacking midfield. The Valencia forward has taken on the role of ´9´ for his coach, even ahead of a Robert Lewandowski who is being managed to the maximum. As for the Englishman, it is not a usual position in his career (he has only started in that position three times) and the one time Flick used him in the center of attack, the experiment did not yield results. Finally, the coach can also look towards the youth academy, which offers interesting options beyond being a simple resource. One of those who could adapt best is Dro, although the Galician feels more comfortable playing as an interior. Something similar happens with Toni Fernández, who is more accustomed to playing as a winger, but has the ability and talent to stand out behind the ´9´.