Barcelona defender set to for an improved role under Hansi Flick in the new season | OneFootball

Eric Garcia started Barcelona’s first pre-season game last week and scored the team’s first goal of the new season.

The goal and start, needless to say, were well deserved given the important role he played for the club towards the tail end of last season.

Back in January, the defender was on the verge of leaving the club until Flick had a personal conversation with him about the role he had for him and the potential of winning four trophies.

Garcia stayed, went on to play an important role as a back-up centre-back and pivot, and ultimately settled as the team’s starting right-back after Jules Kounde was injured and excelled.

Poised for more

As relayed by SPORT in a recent report, Flick has told Garcia that he wishes to improve the player’s status both in the dressing room and on the field this season and hopes to hand the defender more minutes.

A bigger role awaits? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

For starters, he will be Barcelona’s backup right-back behind Jules Kounde and will see minutes as part of regular rotations.

Further, he will also serve as a handy piece to slot into central defence or the pivot position based on the need.

The coming season, thus, will see Barcelona enjoy more of Garcia, and the player could well develop a healthy rotation balance with regular minutes.

Last season, the 24-year-old made 29 league appearances, including 14 starts for Barcelona in various positions and racked up two goals and three assists in that duration.

Despite not being a traditional full-back, he linked up well with Lamine Yamal on the flank and covered well defensively to earn his spot as the first-choice substitute right-back.

In fact, he scored two goals and provided an assist in Barcelona’s last five games of the season. Given his performances, the defender will have an increased prominence in the new season.