Hansi Flick explains decision to hand Rodri his first Barcelona start: ‘I want to see..’

Hansi Flick explains decision to hand Rodri his first Barcelona start: ‘I want to see..’ Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has announced his starting lineup for the clash against Valencia, and has included several surprises in the list. While the defence remains largely unchanged, the manager has opted to start Pedri and Rodri together in midfield alongside the team’s best-performing attacking midfielder this season – Fermin Lopez. In attack, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Anthony Gordon all hold on to their starting places, objectively making the starting XI against Valencia the team’s strongest yet. Flick’s pre-game interaction Speaking on the pitch side ahead of kickoff on Sunday afternoon, Barcelona’s manager Hansi Flick answered a couple of quick questions on his starting lineup and thought process behind the selection. Yamal is starting vs Valencia. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) He began by providing an update on Lamine Yamal who was rumoured to have suffered discomfort during the week, yet starts against Valencia. “We’ll see, he might play 90 minutes or 60 minutes, it depends on how the match goes, but he’s definitely ready.” He was then asked what he made of the opposition and his expectations from the clash against Valencia. “It will be a tough match, especially in this atmosphere and with this crowd present.” “But we want to deliver our usual style; we know the quality of our team and how we want to play, and we must show that on the pitch,” Flick added. Rodri’s first Barcelona start is here. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Finally, the manager was asked about his decision to finally hand Rodri his first start in a Barcelona shirt, to which Flick calmly spoke on the luxury he has in terms of midfield options. “We have great quality in midfield, and Marc Bernal has delivered fantastic levels in the past matches,” he began, acknowledging Bernal’s level. “It’s good now for Rodri to start the match, because he needs to improve his physical readiness. And from what I’ve seen from him in training, I can say he’s a fantastic player,” he added. Finally, he spoke on what he expects from the Pedri-Rodri duo who start their first game together for Barcelona. “I want to see how well what we’re working on will succeed with him alongside Pedri, and what they can offer together in midfield.” Source: Mundo Deportivo