Barcelona faces a tactical challenge ahead of the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou, as German coach Hans Flick searches for the player to accompany Pedri in the central midfield position, following the absence of key players due to injuries.

The team will be missing Frenkie de Jong, the usual midfielder, and Marc Bernal, who had earned his position before getting injured on Saturday in the league at the Metropolitano Stadium.

The first option for Flick, according to his previous decisions, is to rely on Eric Garcia, who has already started as a central midfielder against Atletico Madrid in the league. The team benefited from his diverse skills and ability to occupy different positions. With the return of Kounde and good coordination between Kouparsy and Gerard Martin in central defense, the coach does not need to call upon Garcia as a full-back or central defender.

Nevertheless, Garcia did not perform comfortably as a central midfielder in the last match, prompting Flick to also consider alternative options such as Marc Casado, a reliable player but sparingly used this season, and Gavi, who is a trusted asset for Flick but is still struggling with a lack of rhythm after his injury and has not started as a regular.

This decision comes as part of Barcelona's preparations for a crucial encounter, with the need to ensure the stability of the midfield and find alternatives capable of maintaining both offensive and defensive performance in the absence of key players, before engaging in the competition for the Champions League title.