In Lisbon, against Benfica, there were a series of players who left a great impression on Barça fans, but also on the German coach Hansi Flick. Among them are players who until now had not been very prominent in the initial schemes of the Barça coach. It seems that Flick has already found his ideal starting eleven, but that doesn't mean there aren't sufficiently capable players on the bench to make a difference.
Eric García, a reliable replacement
Against Benfica there was a player who was uncertain about whether to stay at the Barça club until summer or leave now in the winter market heading to Girona. That player is Eric García, a player who started playing almost every game in a different position than we were used to. Hansi Flick decided to place him as a defensive midfielder, with the idea of having a reliable replacement for that position where only Marc Casadó was a quality player.
At the beginning of the season, Eric was a starter simply because with the injury plague there were no more players in the team to fill midfield positions. But after the recovery of players like Gavi, Pedri, Fermín, or De Jong,Eric García found himself relegated to the bench again. Something that didn't sit well with the Barça youth player who had in mind to have many minutes this season.
With the start of the winter market, the Barça youth player had a meeting with Flick, expressly asking him to let him leave for Girona to get those longed-for minutes. Something to which Flick completely refused, seeing the lack of signings the Barça club was subjected to. A conversation between the two that didn't end until after the Champions League match against Benfica, where Eric played one of his best games as a Barça player.
Flick gives a key vote of confidence to Eric
The German coach reaffirmed the player in a press conference after being a starter against Valencia and playing a very good game alongside Pau Cubarsí. Flick emphasized how important it is for the team that he stays at least until the end of the season, although leaving the door open for him to leave in the summer if he wishes. For now, Eric has already closed that door and will stay until the end of the season to help the Barça club have a good team depth.
Now, it seems that another front is opening for the Barça youth player and it seems that for Hansi Flick he will be one of the first pieces to change games or to be a starter.