Hansi Flick facing a selection headache for one key area of the Barcelona team | OneFootball

FC Barcelona had to start this 2024-25 season with several key players absent due to injuries. However, over the months, most of these injured players have returned to fitness, and are now once again available to play, with only Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal being the long-term absences.

While the return of these players has inarguably been a positive development for Hansi Flick, the availability of these players is also leading to some selection headaches for the German coach.

As Mundo Deportivo has noted, this is particularly the case in the center of the defense, as the Barcelona coach has Pau Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Ronald Araújo, and Eric Garcia all available for these two positions.

For the most part of the season, the Blaugrana head coach had relied on the duo of Cubarsí and Martínez, with this partnership having played 24 of the 34 official games played by the Catalan side this season.

But the recoveries of Araújo and the return to prominence of Eric Garica, are changing the scenario for the German coach. Iñigo Martínez’s injury in the Spanish Super Cup final against Real Madrid allowed Araújo to return to the starting lineup, while Garcia has also been getting more minutes lately.

While the uncertainty surrounding the starters in these two positions remains, what is clear is that the Barcelona coach is not going to tremble whenever any of these players perform below the expected standards.

This was evident in the last game against Alavés when Araujo, who was also on a yellow card, was substituted at halftime for Eric García.

For the coming months, it remains to be seen which players will be relied upon more by the Blaugrana coach. But this is definitely a good problem to have for Flick, who will have several options to pick for this crucial area going forward.