Hansi Flick has chosen his midfield setup for Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi‑final second leg against Atlético Madrid.
With Barcelona trailing 4‑0 on aggregate, Flick is looking to balance attacking ambition with physical caution, especially in a midfield that cannot afford to lose key figures through fatigue or fresh injury.
The decision to start a high‑value midfielder while imposing a strict time limit reflects both confidence in his quality and anxiety about his fitness after a recent injury lay‑off.
The player in question is Pedri, the Spain international who has been sidelined for several weeks with a groin problem but is now expected to start at Camp Nou before being substituted by the 75‑minute mark, as reported by journalist Roger Arbusa on Catalunya Radio.
Hansi Flick and the medical staff have agreed that he should not exceed roughly 75 minutes to avoid strain on the recently healed area, effectively turning his participation into a controlled run‑out even in such a high‑stakes encounter.
That puts pressure on the Catalan midfielder to be decisive quickly, using his passing range, movement between the lines, and composure under pressure to influence the comeback attempt without being exposed for too long in a physically demanding duel with Atlético’s midfield.
For Barcelona, this means juggling risk and reward at the heart of the team: Pedri’s presence boosts creativity and structure, but his eventual withdrawal often forces Hansi Flick to rely on a different set of midfielders entering the decisive phase of the game.
If Pedri can imprint himself early and Barcelona find a pathway back into the tie, this carefully managed 75‑minute intervention could be framed as a masterstroke; if not, questions will emerge over whether the club should have leaned even more heavily on his talent in a game they simply cannot afford to lose.
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