The blaugranas are in a very sweet moment after defeating Corberán's Valencia in the Copa del Rey with a brilliant match to advance to the semifinals of the competition. A serious and focused Barça is capable of defeating any opponent that challenges them. Most importantly, a team full of rotations can compete just as well as what is theoretically the starting team for the German coach of FC Barcelona.
Flick's second unit works wonderfully
The German coach is making extensive use of the bench to rotate, knowing that the season is very long and any type of injury can hinder the team's plans. The difference from last season is that this year Barça has a reliable bench to rest all the players while everyone plays. Players who had a very secondary role last season have moved to the forefront this year, providing points, goals, and important qualifications for Hansi Flick's team.
Matches like the one at Mestalla in Copa del Rey demonstrate that absolutely all the components of the blaugrana team are motivated and 100% ready to face this decisive phase of the championship. A thrashing that allows entry into that phase where the culers begin to get excited about a possible great season. Barça is in a moment where they are three matches away from winning the Cup, in the round of 16 of the Champions, and in the running for La Liga.
From substitutes to protagonists
Barça is achieving record numbers thanks to the great performances of players like Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine, Pedri, or Cubarsí, but key players are in the background. Players who are going unnoticed but already have better numbers than last season, with performances worthy of applause.
Fermín and Ferran Torres, two players who started the season with doubts in Hansi Flick's elevens. Today, Ferran, with 10 goals, is only 3 goals away from matching his best mark at Barça. The same goes for Fermín, who with 4 goals and 5 assists is on his way to surpassing his best mark with the blaugrana club.
In this Barça, it's very expensive to be a starter, but without any doubt, it's a sign that the team reaches the final phase with all players engaged. A real top-level for Flick, who can already rub his hands seeing the level of all the players.