Barcelona’s preparations for the new season under Hansi Flick are beginning to take shape, with their pre-season tour in South Korea moving along at full speed.
The squad has been put through intense training sessions despite the sweltering humidity, as Flick looks to instil his methods and assess the group ahead of La Liga’s return.
Several youngsters, including Marc Bernal, have made the trip but are being cautiously integrated, with the coaching staff opting to ease them into action rather than rush development.
Meanwhile, midfield star Gavi continues his recovery from long-term injury and, like others in the squad, remains under close observation to avoid setbacks.
Fitness and squad rotation remain top priorities for Flick, who has shown a clear intention to manage player workloads sensibly throughout the summer.
That philosophy came into sharp focus on Tuesday when Eric Garcia was forced to train separately from the rest of the team due to a slight muscle overload in his left leg.
According to SPORT, the versatile defender, who has been repurposed as a right-back under Flick, did not take part in the full session and instead followed a personalised routine.
The issue is described as minor, and club sources have stressed that the decision to rest Eric Garcia was entirely precautionary rather than due to any serious injury.
With the high temperatures and a demanding travel schedule, the medical team opted to remove any risk of aggravation by keeping him on a lighter programme.
Garcia, who opened Barcelona’s pre-season account with a goal against Vissel Kobe, has been one of the standout performers so far and is pushing to establish himself in Flick’s new-look defensive setup.
He rotated with Jules Kounde in the previous match and could play an increasingly important role as the club continues to explore options at right-back.
In contrast, Hector Fort was excluded from the squad entirely, with strong indications that Barcelona are actively looking to offload him before the season kicks off.
Barca face FC Seoul next on Thursday, and while Garcia’s involvement remains uncertain, the club is expected to monitor him closely in the lead-up to the fixture.
For now, the message is calm—no panic, just precaution—as Barcelona look to avoid any early-season setbacks while fine-tuning their squad in Asia.
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