Life was rosy for Marc Casadó until February arrived. Hansi Flick made two decisions this month: changing the goalkeeper and the pivot.
Overnight, Casadó found himself out of the team. In his case, there are no reasons related to indiscipline or tardiness. He hasn't let success go to his head either.
"He Hasn't Done Anything Wrong, But That's How Things Are... For Now"
The truth is that Casadó has gone from being one of Barça's great contributions to world soccer this season to a top-level substitute.
Casadó appeared in the first team in the shadow of Marc Bernal, who was expected to occupy the pivot position at Barça. A long-term injury to Bernal opened the doors for Casadó to become a starter. And he didn't waste his opportunity.
He performed so well that even the coach Luis De la Fuente called him up. When asked about his situation, Flick replied last night: "He hasn't done anything wrong. For now, that's how things are".
Now it is Frenkie De Jong who shares the double pivot duties with Pedri at Barça. The newspaper Marca sees Casadó's mistake that led to Barça's defeat against Atlético in Montjuïc as the cause of his ostracism.
The Most Expensive Player Can't Be on the Bench
After that match, he was substituted at halftime in Getafe. In Lisbon against Benfica, he stayed on for 62 minutes, and against Alavés, he was also taken off at halftime.
And since then, he has only played one full match against Valencia in the league. It was on January 26.
From then on, residual minutes. Nothing like the streak of 15 full matches he linked at the start of the season.
So far in 2025, Frenkie De Jong has started 7 times and Casadó only 6. It seems evident that Flick favors the Dutchman.
And he does so due to a suggestion from the management that reached him through Deco. At the club, it is not well-regarded that the most expensive player on the roster is a substitute.
Frenkie Is Easier to Sell If He Plays
Meanwhile, if there is any possibility of selling Frenkie De Jong, it is by putting him in the showcase to dazzle the world.
Flick understands the reasoning, which doesn't mean he makes his line-ups according to instructions from the upper management. But he likes Frenkie De Jong as much as Casadó. He has no problem fielding him.
What Flick made clear last night is that neither Frenkie will always be a starter by royal decree nor Casadó a substitute for the same reason. His idea is to alternate them for the remainder of the competition.