Barça's Bold Four-Forward Plan: Flick's Cheeky Bet to Decode Osasuna

Barça's Bold Four-Forward Plan to Decode Osasuna

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is weighing a bold attacking formation that could feature four forwards against Osasuna in Saturday's La Liga showdown.

Flick hopes to break the match open early with a ruthless frontline, capitalizing on the wealth of attacking options currently at his disposal.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Flick faces what coaches call a "good problem" when there are too many quality choices, meaning two stars might sit on the bench.

With injuries trimmed to only Gavi and Dani Olmo, plus the notable absence of Ronald Araújo due to mental health issues, Flick has a broad pool to pick from for the starting XI.

This setup gives the German coach the freedom to select his preferred lineup without drastic rotation.

On the attacking front, expectations point to a buzzing forward line. With Olmo out, Raphinha is tipped to fill the playmaker role, potentially allowing Marcus Rashford to operate from the left and keep defenses guessing.

In the central strike, Ferrán Torres is expected to lead, with Lamine Yamal on the right, forming a clearly defined four-man frontline.

Defensively, signs point to García in goal, supported by a backline including Conde, Kobarci, Gerard Martin, and Baldi.

Midfield pairs Eric García and Pedri to control the tempo, while Frenkie de Jong and teammates offer creativity and energy as substitutes if needed.

Under these parameters, Frenkie de Jong could feature in the second half alongside Robert Lewandowski, Fermín López, and Rony Bardji from the bench, tightening the plan as the game unfolds.

Note: The cup tie next week might allow rotation, but the focus remains on a statement La Liga performance.

Punchlines: If Flick's plan works, we all get tickets to the fireworks show. If it flops, at least the popcorn was cheap.