
Flick's all-rounder
Eric Garcia's important role in the shadows at FC Barcelona
The defender from Martorell is not usually a regular in the Blaugrana team, but he contributes a lot when he comes on to the pitch
Eric García is the kind of player who works quietly and is dedicated to fulfilling whatever is asked of him. His position has always been, and is, that of central defender, but if necessary, he will play as a pivot, a full-back or wherever is needed. Not all players know how to adapt to the contexts that their team needs, but, as Flick said when the rumours about his departure began: "He is a very intelligent player who can play in different positions, always focused and very professional. We like him a lot and we are not thinking anything about it, at the moment."
The author of this opinion piece fully agrees with Hansi. The reality is that he is an ideal boy for this Barça. He is young (23 years old), has a good ball output, is versatile and, above all, is from the house. He feels the colours like few others and, whatever role he has, he gives it his all on the pitch. His role is more of a rotation, but that does not mean that he is not important. You only have to see that, in a context of losing 4-2 at the Estádio da Luz, the Blaugrana coach put him on the field above more offensive players like Pau Víctor or Pablo Torre.
The numbers support the view
This season he has played 680 minutes, spread over 17 matches, which averages 40 per game. He has missed 5 matches, on the bench, as well as 8 due to injury and 1 due to suspension (expulsion against Monaco). The figures show that the coach considers him a player who can be called upon when needed. He has started on 6 occasions while, when he comes on from the bench, he is usually the first (4 times) or third (3 times) change.
Hansi Flick admires his versatility. However, analysing when he puts him on the field, it is plausible that he also likes his vision of play, ball output and calmness with the ball at his feet. So, whether the game needs to be calmed down or accelerated, the German is counting on him. Of the 17 games he has played, 1 has been as a full-back, the one for Benfica, and the rest have been as a pivot, mainly, and a centre-back. Having him in the middle exploits his virtues with the ball and covers up for his lack of speed.
As for his statistics, Eric García adds a lot. To start with, in the offensive, he has scored two goals and given one assist. In the field of distribution he is very safe: he has a pass accuracy of 91%, touches the ball 28.55 times - the low average for those games in which he plays very little - and loses 2.7 balls per game. Also, in defence, he recovers the ball more than once per game, is not usually dribbled past and wins 51.33% of the duels he plays.
The figures only support Hansi Flick's view of the Martorell native. A confident and calm footballer with the ball at his feet, with a very good vision of the game and who contributes in defence and attack. It is important to remember that he was key for Míchel at Girona, in fact it is his great desire, and for Spain in achieving the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Thus, for the reasons set out in this text, the author considers that Eric García, despite not being a footballer who is used to starting from the start, is important for Barça.