Hansi Flick’s confidence in 22-year-old Barcelona player proven real by increased minutes after bench spell – Report | OneFootball

The start of the year 2026 had not been a very good one for the FC Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, who saw his minutes dip significantly in the first few weeks of January. In fact, he did not play even a single minute in the first three games of the new year, against Espanyol, Athletic Club, and Real Madrid.

Casado managed to regain some rhythm when he played 85 minutes in the Copa del Rey match against Racing Santander, but he returned to the bench for the following games against Real Sociedad and Slavia Praha. This lack of involvement sparked speculation about a possible departure for the 22-year-old midfielder during the winter transfer window.

The turning point arrived on January 25 in the league match against Real Oviedo. Casado played the full 90 minutes and delivered a performance that earned clear praise from Hansi Flick.

Since that game, he has featured in every match, even if for limited minutes, including Copenhagen for 12 minutes, Elche for 6 minutes, Albacete for 25 minutes, and Mallorca for the full 90 minutes.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Flick’s decision to start Casado against Oviedo was more than a gesture. According to SPORT, the German coach’s trust in the young midfielder is genuine. After the Oviedo match, Flick was unequivocal about Casado’s importance to the squad, stating:

“There’s no option for me, I don’t want anyone to leave, we need everyone. And there’s no other option we want.”

The coach also highlighted Casado’s professionalism, adding:

This was not only a ploy from Hansi Flick to keep Marc Casado in his squad during the winter, as the ensuing matches have shown that the Barcelona coach is actually counting on the midfielder, especially with the hectic part of the season still coming up.