Hansi Flick had followed him during his time at Leipzig and his matches with the Spanish national team; he expected a lot from him.
Much more than what he's offering at Barça. Just as the German coach is delighted with the attitude of the youth academy players, he's also disappointed with the performance of some stars.
Big Disappointment for Hansi Flick
This is the case with Frenkie De Jong, Lewandowski, Balde or Cubarsí himself, who has gone from better to worse.
However, the big disappointment for Hansi Flick has been Dani Olmo, from whom he expected much more. His physical problems are holding him back and preventing him from playing regularly and with confidence.
On the other hand, his unusual contractual situation also plays against him emotionally. Olmo can't understand how a club like Barça can have problems registering its players.
He Can't Play Three Games in a Row
His future is currently hanging in the air. If next Friday the judge doesn't rule in favor of Barça, which seeks a precautionary measure, he'll be left without a spot on January 1 and won't be able to play.
The situation doesn't help, as the player is feeling down. What's more, Flick finds that he can't choose him for three consecutive games because he'll breakdown.
This explains his absence from the starting eleven last match against Atlético. It was especially unusual since he was Barcelona's star transfer this summer and because Lamine Yamal wasn't among those drafted.
Either to the Stands or the Bench
Flick saw Dani Olmo as the perfect link with the three forwards: Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, and Raphinha. However, if offensively he's shown interesting features, defensively he hasn't met the demands of the pressure Flick imposes.
One thing is for Barça to defend with ten because Lewandowski won't join the pressing work. Another thing is doing so with nine because Dani Olmo isn't up for it either.
The judge could leave Dani Olmo in the stands without a spot to play starting January 1. However, if the case is solved favorably for Barça, Dani Olmo is likely to warm the bench if he doesn't improve his performance.
Even in England, rumors have already started about a possible departure of Dani Olmo from Barça. Arsenal would be his destination. In 2025, many things need to change for Dani Olmo.