The future pivot of Barça that Flick calls up due to Pedri´s injury

The appearance of the young midfielder from the reserve team comes just after the confirmation of Pedri´s injury, which will keep him off the pitch for approximately six weeks. The practice also included Rashford, Cubarsí, and De Jong, who were absent on Wednesday, as well as Álvaro Cortés, also from Barça Atlètic, to complete the group. The presence of Tommy Marqués is particularly relevant considering the absence of the player from Tegueste. The loss of Pedri leaves a significant void in midfield for the next month and a half or two months, and Flick must analyze which players can take on that role. Dani Olmo is close to returning, Fermín López is going through a great moment although he plays in more advanced positions, and Marc Bernal is gradually integrating into the first team´s dynamics.

A different profile

In Barça Atlètic, there are several talents that can offer solutions, such as Guille, Pedro Rodríguez, or Tommy Marqués himself. The latter stands out for his physical power and ability to balance the midfield, being a fundamental piece for Juliano Belletti in the reserve team. Marqués´s trajectory is unusual. He arrived at Barça in the pre-juvenile category from CE Europa. At that time, he was a small-statured interior with great technique, but various physical problems and injuries forced him to stop for a while, which led to a loan to UE Damm in his first year as a youth player.

The growth spurt and consolidation

During his time at Damm, Tommy experienced a significant physical change. Upon returning to Barça, his role grew considerably, becoming an essential piece of the Juvenil A that achieved the treble last season. He was the 12th player of Belletti, a true wildcard capable of holding the team in the second halves thanks to his deployment and endurance. This 2025/26 season has marked his definitive leap. He is a different pivot from those available in the first team: strong in aerial play, powerful in duels, and with great physical capacity. He is an ideal player to accompany a profile like Frenkie de Jong —one of his references, as he has acknowledged on more than one occasion—.

Numbers to be called up on Sunday

The reward for his progression came this Thursday, coinciding with his 19th birthday. First session under Flick´s orders and a day he will hardly forget. With Pedri´s absence, Tommy Marqués could become one of the new faces in the squad for Sunday’s match against Elche. The coaching staff and the sports area view the young midfielder very positively, both for his present and his medium-term potential. He is a modern midfielder, with great physicality, game vision, and the ability to break lines. He moves away from the profile of a pivot that is limited to safe passing: Tommy is vertical, dynamic, and has personality. Flick and his coaching staff were already closely following him, and everything points to the fact that this Friday the player will repeat training with the first team.