Ronald Koeman gives clues about his player preferences for upcoming season

With the preseason underway ahead of the 2021/22 season, Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman’s plans and preferences for the upcoming campaign are slowly starting to come to light.

Barcelona, so far, have played two preseason friendlies – against Nastic and Girona – and have won both. And across the two games, Koeman, with his team selection, has been dropping slight hints with regard to his player preferences when it comes to some of the promising youngsters at the club as well as established stars whose futures are uncertain.

Granted that the manager has had to make do without a number of his preferred options for the friendlies. Nevertheless, the minutes being afforded to players do act as an indicator of where they stand in the Dutchman’s plans ahead of the next season.

In that regard, things are certainly looking bright for young attacker Yusuf Demir. Signed this summer for the Barcelona B team, the Austrian has started both the games so far and has impressed a fair bit. So much so that he is seemingly being preferred over Barcelona’s academy man Alex Collado.

Inaki Pena came in as a substitute in the win over Nastic, but played the entire game in goal against Girona, indicating that Koeman may be preparing the La Masia graduate for an increased role in the first-team setup next season as Neto continues to be linked with a summer exit.

Young Nico Gonzalez is another player who seems to be enjoying a lot of trust from the Barcelona manager. The prospect featured as the lone pivot in the middle of the park on Saturday versus Girona, being preferred over Miralem Pjanic. The minutes that fellow midfielders Sergi Roberto and Riqui Puig could be signs of the duo’s increased involvement next term.

Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti once again started as the centre-back pairing, despite the latter’s future clouded with uncertainty. Whether this is a show of Koeman’s faith or a byproduct of a lack of options currently remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde’s continued involvement at left-back, coupled with his recent contract extension, should be a clear sign that the teenager is set to be used as cover for senior statesman Jordi Alba.

16-year-old Gavi is also receiving a lot of attention and admiration and could potentially be the next La Masia jewel to break into the first-team for the next term.

A clearer picture of Koeman’s schemes should emerge in the coming days, as the new season gets closer and closer.