New Delhi: Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Tuesday night gave supporters their first taste of Hansi Flick’s new coaching style. Only three players—Inaki Pena, Hector Fort, and Vitor Roque—who saw any playing time during the previous season began the match dressed youthfully, although a number of players will have had ample opportunity to enter Hansi Flick’s mind.
The spectators witnessed a very obvious 4-2-3-1 with brief spurts of aggressive pushing, even though Manchester City hemmed them in early on. The front two were aggressive in their pushing, preventing the midfield from moving forward. Barcelona needed 25 passes with the ball to set up their first goal, but they were comparatively sharp when they had the chance and didn’t have many meandering possessions. During the game, several players made an impression.
Pau Victor
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JULY 30: Pau Victor #8 of FC Barcelona reacts to a missed shot during a match between Manchester City and FC Barcelona at Camping World Stadium on July 30, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
The 22-year-old, who was the top scorer for Barca Atletic the previous season, was brought back from Girona and he has made his intentions clear that he wants to remain in the starting lineup. Last season, he scored 18 goals in Primera Federación and he was an instrumental part of the Barca Atletic squad. In addition, he had a wonderful game against Manchester City where he showed great maturity on the pitch, made some smart runs, and completed the game with ease. Hansi Flick certainly had a good impression as it looks likely that we might witness Pau Victor get some playing time for the senior side.
Marc Casado
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JULY 30: Marc Casado #30 of FC Barcelona surveys the action during a match between Manchester City and FC Barcelona at Camping World Stadium on July 30, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Captain of Barca Athletic, a rare chance is about to present itself to you as Barcelona appears to be willing to go without a more aggressive or defensive presence in the transfer market. Casado needs to demonstrate his presence, and he outperformed one of the top teams in the league in terms of aggression and skill.
Pablo Torre
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JULY 30: Pablo Torre #6 of FC Barcelona calls out instructions to his teammates during a match between Manchester City and FC Barcelona at Camping World Stadium on July 30, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Before halftime, the 21-year-old found the bottom corner against Ederson. Torre was energetic throughout the game, ran tirelessly, and the more direct approach worked well for him. The La Masia product has looked good on the pitch and his development seems to be going in the right direction. Hopefully we will get to see this young gun play for the main team soon.
Here’s a look at the top three young players for Barcelona that impressed the most against Manchester City in their recent pre-season friendly. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
