Versatile Barcelona star likely to start from bench vs Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

It has not been the smoothest of seasons for Dani Olmo at Barcelona. 

The Spaniard, once seen as a key attacking piece, has gradually slipped out of the regular starting XI. 

Yet, as the campaign enters its most decisive phase, his importance may be about to rise again, perhaps when Barcelona need it most.

Under Hansi Flick, squad depth and tactical flexibility have become vital, especially with fixtures coming thick and fast. 

In that regard, Olmo offers something few players in the squad can match – his versatility. 

Simply put, Flick has already deployed him in four different roles this season, including attacking midfielder, left winger, central midfielder and even as a false nine.

A strong performance vs Atletico

That versatility was on full display in the recent clash against Atletico Madrid. 

Starting in a false nine role, Olmo caused constant problems for Diego Simeone’s defensive structure. 

Dani Olmo provided an assist against Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

His movement between the lines made him difficult to track, creating space and confusion in equal measure. 

More importantly, it allowed fluid rotations with Fermin Lopez, giving Barcelona an unpredictable attacking edge. As a result, Olmo provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s goal. 

As the game progressed and roles shifted, he dropped into his preferred attacking midfield role in the second half, continuing to dictate play after Fermin was withdrawn.

To be benched tonight?

However, despite that strong showing, SPORT reports that Olmo could start the upcoming Champions League clash from the bench. 

Having played the full 90 minutes recently, Flick may look to manage his workload while sticking with a system that has delivered results.

The expected plan could see Fermin once again take up the attacking midfield role, a setup that has allowed Lamine Yamal to drift into more central areas where he can be even more dangerous. 

Still, this does not diminish Olmo’s value. With 8 goals and 8 assists in 39 appearances this season, he has delivered solid numbers, which is why he could be the key while coming off the bench tonight.