Hansi Flick was experimenting Barcelona outcast in a new position prior to injury – report | OneFootball

Ansu Fati’s omission from Barcelona’s squad for the upcoming tour to the United States was a major disappointment for the fans and coaches alike.

Coming on the back of a loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, Fati had made quite an impression during these few weeks of rigorous training under Flick.

However, to Fati’s misfortune, he picked up an injury just days before the US tour, thus ruling him out of the trip across the Atlantic.

Flick’s experiment with Fati

As Fati now shifts focus to his recovery, a recent report from Jordi Cardero has offered more light on how Hansi Flick assessed the Barcelona forward in the past few weeks.

The report notably suggests that Flick was experimenting with the Spaniard in a new position – deploying him in a number nine role.

Can Ansu recover his peak form? (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

It adds that Fati’s injury won’t close the door for him to reclaim his role as a key player for Barcelona.

Flick’s desire to try Fati as a number nine is not surprising considering the fact that Robert Lewandowski is the club’s only real option in the goalscoring area.

Vitor Roque was a real option for Barcelona going into the new season. But the Brazilian has failed to impress in training and could be set for a move away from Catalonia.

This has forced Flick to find other options in the position, with Fati emerging as an ideal option. The Spaniard is not entirely unfamiliar with the number nine role and can prove to be an excellent option, under the right guidance.

Barcelona realise the importance of giving proper support to Fati and the club will do exactly that, even as the attacker tries to recover from another injury setback.

For now, Fati will train with the rest of the Barcelona teammates and a final decision will be made on his future in August.