Barcelona returned to Camp Nou after 909 days, as ongoing renovation work allowed for partial use of the stadium. Although the project remains unfinished, the team received clearance to play at the venue, similar to Real Madrid’s situation with the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. In their homecoming, the Culers convincingly defeated Athletic Club 4-0, breaking a 55-year record under coach Hansi Flick.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick fielded a lineup against Athletic Club featuring seven Barcelona players born in Catalonia for the first time in 55 years: Joan Garcia, Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Gerard Martin, Dani Olmo, and Eric Garcia. The last occurrence of this was on December 6, 1970, against Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou, highlighting a strong commitment to nurturing homegrown talent.
Hansi Flick’s gamble did not end there, as the coach decided to bring Marc Casado and Marc Bernal into the game against Athletic Club. This decision resulted in a total of nine Catalan players seeing playing time, a feat that hadn’t occurred since October 31, 1937. With this strategy, Barcelona’s coach highlights his priority: Talent developed by La Masia, as only Joan Garcia among the Catalan stars did not graduate from the famed academy.
Not only did Barcelona shatter these records, but they also secured a clean sheet for the first time in 10 games, highlighting Joan Garcia’s influence on the team. Furthermore, the squad exhibited significantly more defensive solidity than in previous matches, validating Flick’s assertion that having all his players ready is crucial for his game plan to succeed. With this renewed form, they aim to challenge Real Madrid for the top spot in LaLiga standings.
Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring a goal.
Hansi Flick recover two Barcelona stars to face Chelsea in the Champions League
Even though Barcelona returned to form by defeating Athletic Club, they now face a challenging test against Chelsea that will assess their progress. After inconsistent results in the Champions League, the Culers find themselves in eleventh place in the overall standings, outside the direct qualifying spots for the round of 16, a situation that mirrors the Blues. Ahead of this crucial match, coach Hansi Flick welcomes back two key players.
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Robert Lewandowski makes history as first goalscorer at new Camp Nou: Barcelona star shares emotional nine-word statement after Athletic Club thrashing
According to Diario AS, Marcus Rashford, who missed the last two training sessions, has rejoined the group and appears poised to be part of Hansi Flick’s squad. Similarly, Alejandro Balde, who left the previous LaLiga game due to a head injury, has rejoined the training and is now fully fit to play vs Chelsea. This bolsters the team’s lineup for the Champions League, promising a more complete squad.
