FC Barcelona begins 2026 with a high-voltage Catalan derby against RCD Espanyol on a matchday where Hansi Flick welcomes back two key players to his system. Pedri González and Dani Olmo have been included in the squad for matchday 17 of LaLiga EA Sport 2025/26, although both will be substitutes in Cornellà.
Flick kept his XI from the previous match against Villarreal (0-2) almost intact, with the exception of Fermín López. The player from Huelva will be a substitute due to the inclusion of Marcus Rashford, who returns to the left wing of Barça's attack after playing only 27 minutes against the 'Yellow Submarine', in a match where the '16' had a poor performance.
Finally, 'Rashy' will accompany Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres in a very offensive formation, where Frenkie de Jong and Eric García will handle the defensive and build-up work in midfield.
Pedri will be a substitute for the second time in LaLiga 25/26
Of the returns for matchday 18 of LaLiga, Pedri seemed to have secured a starting spot. The '8' was sidelined against Villarreal as a precaution, after experiencing calf discomfort, but this week he trained normally after returning to work post-Christmas break.
However, Flick preferred to rest the Canary before the squad's trip to Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup. The 23-year-old midfielder had only started on the bench against Alavés (he played half an hour), on a matchday when he was also returning from the infirmary.
On that occasion, Pedri was coming off a muscle tear that kept him out for a month, during which he missed a couple of league matches and the same number of Champions League games. So far, the player from Tegueste **has scored 2 goals and provided 6 assists in 19 appearances** (18 as a starter) and a total of 1,459 minutes of play.
Dani Olmo could get minutes in the second half
Less surprising is Dani Olmo's substitution. The Terrassa native has not played since December 2nd against Atlético, the day he dislocated his left shoulder after scoring his fourth goal of the season.
As expected, the attacking midfielder was out for a month after undergoing conservative treatment, but the coaching staff will manage him carefully in the upcoming matches due to the risk of relapse. **The '20' has already missed 8 games in 25/26 due to injury**, and Flick does not want to compromise his importance in the second half of the season.
For now, Olmo has accumulated 4 goals and 2 assists in 17 games (9 as a starter) and 958 minutes of play. The shoulder injury came at his best moment with Barça, after having scored a brace against Alavés (3-1) and another goal against the 'Colchoneros' (3-1).