Three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Mallorca

The first game of 2022 was expected to be one that brought joy to the faces of Barcelona fans. The scheduled return of Pedri and Ansu Fati into the slowly flourishing plans of Xavi was a much-anticipated event. However, their cautious return, coupled with other off-the-field developments, has led to an unexpected situation.

Barcelona eyes wil be shuffling between the winter transfer market and the league table. Currently they sit 7th place after 18 games into the season, and are just two points off the top-four race. The comeback from a near-dead situation has been remarkable yet steady.

Xavi’s side delivered one of their finest displays against Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez Pijzuan, and one looks ahead to the next away fixture with renewed expectations. Here are three talking points ahead of Barcelona’s clash against Mallorca.

1. The COVID situation

Barcelona were expected to miss the services of Sergio Busquets and Gavi owing to an accumulation of yellow cards. While that seemed concerning enough for the manager ahead of the clash, the situation took a sudden curve when players started testing positive upon return from the break.

Initially, Jordi Alba, Clement Lenglet, Dani Alves, and Alejandro Balde tested positive for the SARS-CoV2. The Catalans were dealt yet another blow on Wednesday when Ousmane Dembele, Samuel Umtiti and Gavi contracted the virus too.

The most recent addition to the growing list of infected players was yesterday, when Sergino Dest, Ez Abde, and Philippe Coutinho were ruled out too.

As it stands, Xavi can count on just nine first-team players for the clash against Mallorca. This includes two goalkeepers, Ronald Araujo, Gerard Pique, Eric Garcia, Oscar Mingueza, Frenkie de Jong, Riqui Puig and Luuk de Jong. Other regulars like Nico and Ferran Jutgla continue to be available too.

Needless to say, the Barcelona manager has a herculean task ahead of him. Mallorca to have its list of unavailable players, but the league rules do not allow the game to be cancelled until less than five first-team players are available.

The game will go on as planned, and Xavi must find a way to use his resources efficiently on the night.

2. The true test of chemistry

Great managers have always proven to be able to produce victories irrespective of the situation. While most wins of champions sides witness breathtaking and dominant football, the hard-fought grinding wins are equally vital. On Sunday, Xavi needs to inspire his team to grind out three points.

One cannot expect the team to play free-flowing, vibrant football on the night. Many players will have to cover for foreign positions, and the chemistry will undoubtedly be marred.

It is unlikely that Xavi will change the team’s playing style to cover for the deficiencies. Accordingly, there will be more of the spotlight on some of the young players. Needless to say, a win on Sunday would appear as a loud announcement to the world of what the team is capable of.

3. Time for Frenkie de Jong to lead

The suspension of Sergio Busquets for the game against Mallorca immediately raised questions on how the captain could be replaced. Gavi’s unavailability then increased the pressure on his shoulders.

Seemingly, the most obvious choice was to deploy Frenkie de Jong in a deeper role to cover for the veteran’s absence. And the Dutchman will not only have to fill the sporting void on the night but also the burden of leadership that Busquets carried.

The most likely midfield at Estadio de Don Moix will be a trio of de Jong, Nico and Riqui Puig. Of the three, Puig seems to be the most likely to spearhead the combination and link with forwards. Meanwhile, Nico and de Jong will form a double pivot to anchor Barcelona’s camp.

La Masia graduates Nico and Gavi have had breakout seasons this year. Game after game, the young stars have consistently delivered at a high level. However, Frenkie de Jong’s season has not been quite the fairytale.

After briefly peaking in his Barcelona career at this time last year, the former Ajax star has seemed lost. With many bonafide starters missing for the first game of the new year, the Dutch protege is now expected to lead the line. Will the added burden help him produce his best or pull him further down? Only time will tell.