Barcelona star makes a strong case to start vs Atletico Madrid after derby display

Barcelona star makes a strong case to start vs Atletico Madrid after derby display

Several questions plague Barcelona manager Hansi Flick’s mind ahead of tomorrow’s game against Atletico Madrid, one of which is around the number nine position.

In the recent league clash between the two teams, the manager started Dani Olmo as a false-nine, and there is a strong case for the Spaniard to play in the same position once more.

Then, there is the player who started in the first leg of the UCL quarterfinal against the same opponent – Robert Lewandowski – who failed to make a major impact.

The ‘Shark’ option

As relayed by AS in a recent update, Ferran Torres has now stepped up and handed Flick a good reason to see him as a realistic option to start on Tuesday night.

The player was on his second-worst goal-scoring streak up until very recently and had not found the back of the net in 14 games since late January.

Ferran smiling again. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Against Espanyol at the weekend, however, he netted a brace and put an end to that poor record, putting his hand up as a versatile option once more.

A major part of Barcelona’s plan tomorrow will revolve around the press and the team’s work rate off the ball, and that is a department where Torres can surpass Lewandowski.

What they also need, however, is clinical finishing – something the Spaniard is not consistently known for but can produce on his night.

Flick will make his final decision after taking into account his tactics for the big game and what he sees in training.

What is certainly the case, however, is that Torres remains an option for the manager – something that could not have been said had he not stepped up at the weekend.