Flick faces a major selection dilemma in midfield ahead of Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona | OneFootball

Marc Bernal’s slow but sure return to his best has been fantastic to witness this season, and the FC Barcelona starlet has shown signs of having something special despite playing limited minutes.

Manager Hansi Flick has always been an advocate of Bernal’s brilliance but opted to face his reintegration with utmost caution – a decision that is now seemingly bearing fruit.

The Copa del Rey has been the competition that has seen the most of Bernal, and understandably so, given how the lower-ranked opposition gave Flick the best opportunity to hand the player important minutes.

As the team now stare towards the most difficult cup game yet, the manager has a decision to make.

The big dilemma

Bernal made a massive statement in the team’s game against Mallorca at the weekend, scoring the third goal with a great solo run and showing that he is back to his physical best.

As relayed by SPORT, the teenager’s fine performance at the weekend leaves Flick with a serious dilemma as to whether or not to start Bernal for the fourth straight game in the Copa del Rey.

Will Bernal start against Atletico Madrid? (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

The opposition on the night – Atletico Madrid – will not be easy in any sense and will be a massive step up from the likes of Guadalajara, Racing Santander, and Albacete, against whom the midfielder started in the cup competition.

Yet, there is a feeling that he may finally be ready for the big nights, especially given that Pedri is unavailable and Frenkie de Jong is also nursing discomfort.

The coach thus has the option of replacing De Jong with Bernal on the night and pairing him with Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez in midfield to add defensive stability to the trio.

There is also the option of deploying the La Masia star alongside the Dutchman in the double pivot on the night. After all, there is no real need for Barcelona to go all out attacking in the first leg of the semi-final, and one of Dani Olmo or Fermin Lopez can be sacrificed.

A massive decision awaits Flick, and it remains to be seen if Bernal is indeed seen to be ready to start such a high-intensity game. After all, the signs he has shown in recent games have been promising.