Hansi Flick once again opted for Eric García as the defensive pivot for FC Barcelona in a difficult match. Just as against Athletic Club and Chelsea, the player from Martorell was the '5' chosen by the coaching staff against Atlético de Madrid (3-1), this time alongside Pedri González in midfield.

With Frenkie de Jong absent due to a fever, the '24' returned to midfield and completed a good match, despite the difficulty of playing with a protective mask after the nasal fracture he suffered in Bruges before the November break.On Tuesday, **Eric completed 40 of 47 passes (85%), made 8 defensive actions, 4 clearances, and 2 recoveries**. Additionally, he won 4 out of 6 individual duels (67%) and committed only one foul during the 90 minutes. The Martorell native has started in the last 7 league matches and in 4 of the 5 Champions League games the team has played.

Eric García solidifies his lead in minutes played

In that regard, García became the first Barça player to surpass the 1,500-minute mark this season. The 24-year-old defender is also the only player in the Blaugrana squad to have seen action in all of Barça's matches in the 25/26 season (20), with a total of 17 starts

After a winter transfer window in which he was very close to returning to Girona, Eric has become Hansi Flick's most reliable defender. Last season, he was already a key player in the final stretch, filling in for Jules Koundé at right-back, and after Iñigo Martínez's departure, he has taken on notable leadership in defense.

Whether as a center-back, full-back, or defensive midfielder, the player from Martorell is always alert to cover for a teammate and provide safe distribution for the team. He is also capable of joining the attack from time to time and has already scored one goal (against Oviedo) and provided one assist (against Athletic) so far this season.

Barça Players with Most Minutes in 25/26:

  1. Eric García: 1,510 (20 matches)
  2. Jules Koundé: 1,415 (19 matches)
  3. Pau Cubarsí: 1,293 (16 matches)
  4. Marcus Rashford: 1,248 (19 matches)
  5. Lamine Yamal: 1,237 (15 matches)

Frenkie de Jong missed his third consecutive league match

Frenkie de Jong, for his part, missed his third consecutive league match against Atlético. The club confirmed his absence for matchday 19 due to fever and, after the game, Flick confirmed that the Dutchman had not slept well on Monday night. However, the manager is confident of having him back for next Saturday, for the visit to Betis.

The '21' also missed the match against **Alavés** (3-1) for personal reasons and was out, due to suspension, against **Athletic** (4-0). De Jong was present last week in the defeat against **Chelsea** (3-0) and, previously, only missed the duels against Levante (paternity) and Valencia (injury).