Hansi Flick is facing his second season in charge of Barça with much clearer ideas than last year. The German coach, after months of analysis, has started making important decisions to define the group with which he will compete from the start. With the preseason tour about to begin, he has already left out a profile that is not in his plans.
Flick wants to form a competitive unit that responds from the very first minute. To achieve this, he is carrying out a quiet but effective clean-up. Unlike what many thought, neither Gavi nor Fermín López will be the ones to leave. The coach has chosen to keep the young players and do without a more experienced profile that has not been up to the task.
Flick and his first major decision in Barça's preseason
Although some reports suggested that Fermín and Gavi could leave, the reality is that Flick trusts them. Both will continue to be part of the main group. The player left out is a footballer who already knows what it is to leave Camp Nou: Oriol Romeu.
The Catalan midfielder will not be included in the list to travel to Asia and this has set off all the alarms. His absence is not due to physical issues or a contractual matter, but to a purely technical decision. Flick believes that Oriol Romeu doesn't have the competitive level needed to continue in Barça's project.
Oriol Romeu finds a team far from Barça
Oriol Romeu has no place at Barça. Flick prefers to bet on Casadó, Bernal, and Frenkie for the midfield, so everything indicates that his time at Camp Nou has come to an end. The sporting management is already working on finding him a suitable exit.
Girona appears as one of the most realistic options, although in recent hours the possibility of Valencia has been gaining momentum. Let's remember that Oriol Romeu played at Mestalla for a while, so it could be an interesting option for him to continue his career.
Flick marks his territory in his second season in charge of Barça
This decision by Flick not only affects Oriol Romeu, but also sends a clear message to the rest of the locker room. The German coach doesn't favor anyone and puts performance ahead of name or experience. With this approach, academy players like Fermín or Gavi know that they will have to keep fighting to earn a starting spot.
Looking ahead to the coming days, new moves by the coaching staff are not ruled out. Flick continues to assess possible adjustments and more news is expected before the official start. For now, the first major casualty already has a name and surname: Oriol Romeu.