Hansi Flick explains Ansu Fati’s unorthodox role in Barcelona vs Young Boys

Ansu Fati returned to FC Barcelona after spending the last season on loan in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion. The young forward had the opportunity to make a place for himself in the Blaugrana team as Xavi had left, and Flick was yet to see the players at his disposal.

After impressing in a few training sessions, the Spaniard’s plans were disturbed by an untimely injury that kept him from participating in the pre-season tour of the USA and thus made it impossible for him to convince Flick to give him an important role in the squad.

Fati returned to the pitch after recovering from this physical issue in the UEFA Champions League match against Monaco, but did not get any minutes in the ensuing three league matches against Villarreal, Getafe, and Osasuna.

Thus, as SPORT has noted, it was only in last night’s encounter between Barcelona and Young Boys that Fati returned to the pitch, and this return would be memorable for him as his entry was met by thunderous applause from the fans in the stands.

With this ovation, Fati took to the field as he replaced Pedri on the pitch. However, to everyone’s surprise, he kept the position of the Spanish midfielder in the middle of the pitch, instead of taking one of his preferred positions on the left wing or in the axis of the attack.

After the game, Hansi Flick, while speaking to the press, explained his decision to play Fati out of position. The German manager stated:

“It’s easy to understand. Ansu played in that position because we wanted to give Pedri a rest, and we thought De Jong needed fewer minutes.”

Flick also emphasized that the 21-year-old Barcelona winger still needs time to regain his form. While acknowledging Fati’s hard work and determination to improve, Flick urged patience, stating that the young player deserves the time and support necessary for his full recovery.

“Ansu is doing very well in training. He’s at a very high level. We need time for him to return to his best form. He is very eager to improve, he’s very professional, and he deserves our patience.”

Thus, he played for 10-15 minutes as a midfielder, a role that required him to move nearer to his own half to receive and advance the ball towards the opposition goal.

Fati eventually returned to his natural position on the left wing when Flick introduced Frenkie de Jong into the team. De Jong, another key player, made his long-awaited return to the pitch after a five-month absence.

Although he played in two different positions and got an ovation from the fans, it was clear that Fati was still far from his best version. He recorded a 96% pass accuracy but also lost the ball six times, and was unable to complete any dribbles on the night.