‘I needed him’… Hansi Flick commends 24-year-old Barcelona player after win over Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

It is never an easy task for any player to succeed or thrive at a club like FC Barcelona. Star players from all across the world dream of playing there, but only a fortunate few manage to achieve that dream. However, even just making it to Barcelona itself is not enough most of the time.

For 24-year-old Spanish defender Eric Garcia, it was clear enough to see that his early days at the club did not show much promise. Having even gone out on a loan spell to fellow La Liga side Girona, Garcia’s days at the club seemed to be numbered before Hansi Flick came around.

For the German coach, it was necessary to retain Garcia’s services and this may have initially seemed shocking. Still, the new Barcelona coach reportedly convinced him to stay at the club despite other sides being interested in him, and that decision has continued to pay off.

Despite not being a regular starter or anything like that, the Spaniard has undoubtedly been an important asset to the team. For instance, he started against CA Osasuna in a game where some key defenders were unavailable, and he helped the team get a clean sheet.

Now, in the most recent win over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey, he was once again called upon by Hansi Flick as a substitute. However, one of the reasons why Flick seems to like having his services at his disposal is due to the versatility of the player, and particularly his ability to play as a defensive midfielder when needed.

Following the game itself, as highlighted by Barça Times, Flick admitted that he needed the player in his team and wanted him to play in a different position instead of his normal place as a centre-back:

“Eric García received an offer from another club, but I told him I needed him to play in another position, 100%.”

Moreover, the Barcelona coach also pointed out that the player has definitely improved as well this season, and confessed that he is exactly the kind of committed player he wants in his squad:

“You can clearly see that he has progressed. He is a great player, person and a professional. He is the kind of player I want in my team.”

So far this season, Garcia has played a total of 31 games for Barcelona across all competitions. Most of those appearances have come as a substitute, and he has managed to accumulate 1358 minutes this season. He has also scored three goals and has provided one assist this season.