From forgotten to trusted: Brian Farinas’ patience is finally paying off at Barcelona

From forgotten to trusted: Brian Farinas’ patience is finally paying off at Barcelona For the opening months of the 2026/27 season, Brian Farinas was in an unusual position at Barcelona. He had earned a place in Hansi Flick’s first-team squad, inherited the No. 4 jersey from Ronald Araujo, but was waiting patiently for his first opportunity. Even during pre-season, the La Masia youngster had not caught the eye with his performances in the way Fermin Lopez had a few years earlier. Once competitive football began, the 20-year-old did not get a single minute, and Flick’s decision to keep him in the first-team squad began to look increasingly perplexing. Farinas had accepted that opportunities would be limited and continued working without making an issue of his situation. That patience has finally been rewarded, with his impressive debut against Deportivo Alaves setting the tone for what Barcelona can expect from him. He followed that up with an even better display against Aston Villa in the Champions League, where he looked even more confident. A decision that looked increasingly questionable Farinas was close to joining Girona in the summer. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images) Farinas was on the verge of leaving Barcelona before Flick convinced him to stay with the team. The club were prepared to let him leave in the summer, with Girona offering €1.5 million for 50% of his rights. It was widely assumed that he would swap Catalan clubs that summer, but Flick saw enough to veto the move. The German manager had been impressed by the 20-year-old La Masia graduate’s versatility, intelligence and attitude during pre-season. Yet weeks passed without Farinas getting game time, and he was almost always the first name dropped from squad lists when Flick had to leave someone out. The breakthrough that came in extraordinary circumstances What makes Farinas’ breakthrough even more spectacular is that it has come in a position unfamiliar to him. Farinas was a midfielder during his formative years at La Masia , but Flick saw something that made him view the 20-year-old as a right-back. He started in that position against Alaves, even though the manager could have chosen to go with the safer option of starting Alejandro Balde and Joao Cancelo as his full-backs. And the youngster shone bright as he completed 101 passes, recovered possession six times and looked remarkably comfortable combining with Lamine Yamal throughout the 6-1 victory. However, if his debut was solid, his performance against Aston Villa showed that he could make the position his own. The English side had won their opening three Champions League matches, but Farinas showed few nerves on his European debut. Reaping the rewards of patience. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) He positioned himself well, passed well under pressure, linked up beautifully with Lamine and hardly put a foot wrong. In fact, he completed 11 passes in the final third, matching Pedri’s tally and showing his influence on the game. An unexpected solution for Flick? Flick’s decision to retain him in the squad is already looking like a masterstroke after just a couple of starts. Even if his minutes decrease once the injured defenders return to the fold, he is definitely not someone to be sold for just €1.5 million. The best thing about Farinas is that he does not need to become a regular starter to prove valuable to Barcelona. Barça have considerable midfield depth and decent defensive options, and his value might lie in offering cover across multiple positions. After his debut, Farinas revealed that Flick had asked whether he could play there . His response was simple: he would play wherever the manager needed him. That is the kind of attitude that would have appealed to the German manager and prompted him to keep Farinas in the squad. It is not easy to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else in the team get regular minutes, but Farinas kept his nerve. It is now his time to shine, and the Spaniard is making sure he makes the most of every opportunity he gets.