Flick responds to Barcelona's injury plague by drawing from La Masia

Published New:18/10/2025 - 16:32h

Updated New:18/10/2025 - 16:32h

Hansi Flick surprised everyone by calling up Juan Hernández and Xavi Espart for the match against Girona. In addition, the manager is betting on Toni Fernández in the starting XI. La Masia, to the rescue in the face of the injury crisis

FC Barcelona hosted Girona this Saturday with a lineup and bench full of youth players. Of the eleven chosen by Hansi Flick to start matchday 9 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26, six are players trained at La Masia. The youngest and the big novelty, Toni Fernández.

The player from Rubí debuts in the League at 17 and becomes the second footballer born in 2008 to debut this season in the tournament. The first, Dro Fernández against Real Sociedad, also as a starter. Barça is dragging 7 casualties due to injury and Flick has not hesitated to draw on the youth academy to awaken a team that comes from two consecutive defeats.

First big opportunity in the League for Toni Fernández

Toni Fernández seizes his opportunity in the Daegu-Barça match: a goal and promising details

For Toni Fernández, the match against Girona will be his first big opportunity at Barça. The forward had already played 9 minutes in January against Barbastro (in the Copa del Rey) and even had the pleasure of scoring a goal against Daegu in the last friendly match of the Asian tour.

In matchday 9 of LaLiga, the '29' started as the reference in the area, while Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford took care of the wings. Flick opted for a very offensive team, more with a 4-3-3 than with the usual 4-2-3-1 that the team uses as its base scheme since the German's arrival on the bench.

"Toni has trained very well. It's his second year with us. I'm very happy with him and that's why he's making his debut today," the Barça coach told 'DAZN' before the match.

La Masia, Featured in Barça's Squad List Against Girona

Of the 23 called up by Flick against Girona, 15 are youth players trained at La Masia. The main new additions were the attacking midfielder Juan Hernández and the right-back Xavi Espart. Both have already turned 18 and have been important for Barça Atlêtic, which is managed by Juliano Belletti.

"It's important to recover the injured players. The important thing is to manage the minutes of these players coming back from injury," argued Flick before the start of the match.