Barcelona have an uphill climb ahead as they take on Girona this weekend, with the Catalans looking to secure crucial three points before facing Real Madrid next week.
However, Barça’s task has been made significantly difficult due to an ongoing injury crisis that has completely diluted Hansi Flick’s options, especially in the attacking department.
Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski have picked up fresh knocks and are ruled out against Girona, joining Joan Garcia, Gavi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Raphinha on the sidelines.
Raphinha is coming back soon, while Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez might be able to play against Girona. But they are not going to be risked by coach Flick, as he keeps one eye on next weekend’s Real Madrid encounter.
Keeping all these factors in mind, Flick is likely to deploy a series of La Masia talents in the starting eleven tomorrow, and a recent report from Diario SPORT has detailed a few candidates who may start against Girona.
Pedro Fernandez (Dro)
The first La Masia star on the list is Pedro Fernandez, commonly known as Dro. An attacking midfielder by trade, the youngster was part of Barcelona’s pre-season camp and is regarded as one of the academy’s finest talents.
Dro has already made his competitive debut for Barcelona. But he could be set for his first start this weekend against Girona in light of Flick’s lack of options in the attacking midfield area.
Indeed, the German tactician will be out on the services of Gavi and Olmo due to injuries, while Fermin won’t be risked.
That makes Dro a prime candidate for a start in the number ten role, just behind Marcus Rashford, who will spearhead the attack in the absence of Ferran and Lewandowski.
That is, unless Flick decides to deploy Pedri in a more attacking role, which in turn would see Marc Casado operating in a double-pivot alongside Frenkie de Jong.
Toni Fernandez
Another player in line for a potential start against Girona this weekend is Toni Fernandez, who also trained with the team heading into this clash.
Toni could be considered for the wider attacking position, considering that Raphinha is not yet fit, while Lamine Yamal may not be fit enough to start.
With Rashford also forced to operate centrally, the road is clear for Toni to start as a winger and showcase what exactly he can do in the final third.
The youngster does have some competition, though, with Alejandro Balde also emerging as an option on the flanks.
Juan Hernandez
Compared to Dro and Toni, Juan Hernandez has a significantly lower chance of making the starting eleven against Girona this weekend.
However, it won’t be surprising to see the youngster making the squad and perhaps even coming on as a substitute later in the game due to his versatility.
An attacking midfielder by trade, Juan can operate in various positions across midfield and attack, including the left-wing slot.
He can, therefore, serve as a potential alternative to Balde, Roony Bardghji or Toni in the final third. Even in midfield, he can be an alternative to Marc Casado.
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