Hansi Flick should really start €10 million-rated Barcelona youngster against CD Guadalajara — Opinion | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have a midweek Copa del Rey Round of 32 clash away to CD Guadalajara, where they will look to secure a win over the third-tier side and progress to the Round of 16.

It is a tricky trip to a ground that does not have the facilities of the magnificent Spotify Camp Nou. The German manager will know it is unlikely to be an easy night in the small city north of Madrid.

Rotations are set to be the order of the night for Barcelona, with fringe players expected to be given a run-out. On that note, we at Sempre Barca believe Hansi Flick should start Marc Bernal against CD Guadalajara tonight.

The €10 million-rated La Masia graduate has largely been a bench option this season since his recovery from an ACL injury. Hansi Flick has been extremely cautious with his progress and has given him only one start, during which he was taken off at half-time.

Bernal’s subsequent appearances off the bench offered a lot of promise, and he looks ready to start against Guadalajara to build match fitness. A good outing tonight would go a long way towards helping him work back into the starting XI.

The Spaniard is widely regarded as one of the biggest La Masia talents in recent seasons. He has a very high ceiling and, if not for his ACL injury, he might already have established himself as a definite starter for Flick.

The German manager placed great trust in him, making him one of the first players he promoted from La Masia at 17. He looked like the midfielder best suited to replace Sergio Busquets as the No. 6 for the next decade.

However, all that is in the past. Right now, Bernal starts from scratch and needs to re-establish himself in Flick’s plans. There is no doubting the talent, but the ACL injury has raised some questions.

A start tonight against Guadalajara, and a strong showing, would go a long way towards reasserting Bernal as one of the rising figures in Flick’s team. It is too early to make that call, though, so let us see how things play out.