Barcelona Reinvents Itself Without Pedri or De Jong: Joao Félix Leads the Way

The reaction experienced by FC Barcelona is even more commendable considering the absence of two key pieces in the Blaugrana machinery, fundamental to Xavi Hernández. Without Frenkie de Jong or Pedri González in midfield, the Barcelona team has managed to ‘reinvent’ itself and push through the matches.

Before the duel at La Catedral, FC Barcelona’s record without either of the two midfielders on the field was 5 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss in all competitions. Following the goalless draw against Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club, there was a remarkable streak of 4 victories to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals and secure the second place in LaLiga to put pressure on Real Madrid.

Christensen in midfield, and Raphinha, interior Xavi has sought alternatives and found them. The option of deploying central defender Andreas Christensen in midfield had already been tried before the injuries to Frenkie and Pedri, and it continued even in their absence. Additionally, Xavi has been exploiting Raphinha’s ability to play inside, especially in the absence of Gavi since the beginning of the season.

The Brazilian finds interior spaces when he’s not out wide. This was evident in the winning goal against UD Las Palmas, just 3 minutes after Joao Félix replaced Fermín and changed positions with Raphinha.

Fermín is another viable option. He replaced Raphinha against Mallorca (1-0) after 37 minutes due to an injury to the Brazilian. This match followed Barcelona being without De Jong and Pedri.

Then came the 3-1 victory against Napoli in the Champions League, followed by an even better performance at the Metropolitano, with a 3-0 thrashing of Atlético Madrid, now with Sergi Roberto in the starting lineup.

The captain repeated his role in midfield against Las Palmas, alongside Fermín on the opposite side, with Gündogan in the holding role. Gündogan had been performing well closer to the attackers, but Christensen’s injury left him as the primary option, showcasing his experience and work ethic for the team’s benefit.