A major cornerstone of Flick’s new-look Barcelona is the arrival of Rodri from Manchester City. The Spanish midfield general is seen as the natural successor to Sergio Busquets, providing the structural integrity needed to allow creative players like Olmo to roam freely. The tactical shift involves a high defensive line and intense pressing, a system that Olmo admits carries risks but is essential for competing at the highest level of European football.
“Rodri is the player who is most like Busquets,” Olmo explained. “He fits perfectly in our play, our system, our idea, which is similar to the seleccion. He’s positional, brings balance, which will give me more freedom to interpret where the spaces are. He sustains the structure. We know the system is risky at times but we have the experience and knowledge to judge when to go and when not to, when to cover our backs.”
