The FC Barcelona has experienced a time when its midfield was its backbone, its flagship, its greatest treasure. The ‘baton’ of the blue and crimson team has been carried by prominent names like Xavi Hernández, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, or Iván Rakitic, and their talent translated into good play and titles.
However, in recent years, it is the position that has possibly caused the most headaches for the blue and crimson club not only on a sporting level, as has happened with Sergio Busquets, from his last years as a player to his departure, but also economically, like with the high salary of players like Frenkie De Jong. In fact, Barça seems compelled to make some decisions more for economic health than for sporting issues, and the midfield will be affected if Gundogan ends up leaving upon the confirmation of his return to Manchester.
A midfield dimmed by injuries, irreplaceable gaps, and rising wages
The German was one of the best blue and crimson players last year. He arrived as the legend he was at City at 33 years old and was the top assister for the team in a midfield orphaned after Busquets’ departure, and diminished by the injuries of Pedri and Gavi. But it was not enough. A rising salary and his age (turning 34 in October) have ultimately marked him as one of the “easy” solutions to, among other things, create space in the wage bill and allow for the registration of new players (like Dani Olmo). Gundogan would return to what was his home, Manchester, in a free and mutual agreement operation that barely lasted a couple of days and in which he would free up his 18 million salary.
The blue and crimson club is still ‘touched’ by the famous legacy of Bartomeu and those upward renewals of several players a week before he resigned as President of the club. This was the case for Ter Stegen, now untouchable, Gerard Piqué, who stepped aside to retire that same season, and Clement Lenglet and Frenkie de Jong, two players whom Barça is seeking to move on to solve two problems at once: economic and sporting.
The French central defender seems more willing to find a solution, but the Dutch midfielder remains anchored to the club and raising resentment among fans due to his ‘few glory nights’ and his high salary (37.5 million). De Jong has not finished being the player that was expected, with brief notable appearances in five seasons where he has also suffered long injuries.
The case of Busquets is more sporting than economic. In his last years, it was already evident that the day Sergio left the club was going to leave an indispensable gap on the field. That’s why his career was extended until the situation became unsustainable. It was seen in his first season without him, where players passed through that position until an emergency pivot in Christensen seemed to be the most suitable option.
And in the end… La Masía
Amid injuries, difficulties in signing, and positional debates, the answer has been found by two kids, one 17 and the other 20: Marc Bernal and Marc Casadó. Both starters for Hansi Flick in the first league match against Valencia. Without Gundogan, De Jong, and Gavi, injured in the first match, and with Pedri affected, Bernal and Casadó took the reins ‘at zero cost’ in the midfield, demonstrating that La Masía will always be there. This happened before with the departure of Ousmane Dembélé in one of Xavi’s favorite positions, followed by the emergence of the great talent of Lamine Yamal.
Christensen was able to return to his position as a central defender so that only time and the physical condition of the two players will determine how long they will stay defending the great blue and crimson stronghold through which all the joys and titles of FC Barcelona have passed in recent decades.