As FC Barcelona prep for their third match of the season, manager Hansi Flick has dropped a hint about the club’s plan pertaining to Ansu Fati. While Fati has been heavily linked with a loan move away this summer, Flick has made it clear that he will be counting on Fati this season.
“I hope he returns to the level he showed in preseason; we need to take good care of him,” the German coach said.
FC Barcelona at Rayo Vallecano FYIs
Kickoff: Wednesday Aug. 27, Estadio de Vallacas, Madrid, Spain
Barca Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
La Liga Standing, Form: Rayo Vallecano 8th, 4 pts, WD FC Barcelona 2nd, 6 pts, WW
Google Result Probability: Rayo Vallecano 20% Draw 24% FC Barcelona 56%
Barcelona Team News
So it really sounds like Fati is going to be staying put this this season. And he’s going to be in contention to be a major contributor. But he won’t be on Tuesday night, when Barca travel to Rayo Vallecano, as he’s still recovering from a leg injury.
Elsewhere Flick admitted that summer signing Dani Olmo will likely not be registered in time to feature in this clash.
Although it’s worth noting that even if he does, he hasn’t been eased into the team as of yet, and he won’t be a first team regular with the Catalan Club until his integration into the side is complete.
And finally, Andreas Christensen, we learned yesterday, is set to miss an extended period of time. It turns out his injury is to the Achilles tendon, and that could leave him sidelined for up to two months.
So he now joins Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Ronald Araujo as long-term absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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