Hansi Flick talks about possible rotations ahead of Barcelona vs Celta Vigo | OneFootball

After having secured their passage to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, FC Barcelona are set to return to action in La Liga, where they will try to maintain their lead over Real Madrid.

The Catalans will be facing Celta Vigo in this home fixture. While the Blaugranes are the favourites to come out as the winners in this game, they have been playing a lot of games in a short period of time, and the players might be feeling some fatigue.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, Hansi Flick was also asked about this aspect as he talked to the media ahead of the game.

The Barcelona coach made a joking remark about the possibility of resting Jules Kounde for this game:

“The problem with Koundé is that if one day we do 30 minutes less of training, he’ll go for a run in Sitges. Maybe the best thing for me is that he runs on the pitch. He’s in great shape. I talk to them and they’re honest about how they feel physically. We also see it in the data we have. But I need them to be honest with me, and Koundé tells me he’s fine.”

Flick also talked about Lamine Yamal and the possibility of resting him:

“Everyone knows that Lamine, at 17 years old, is a genius. He has a lot of pressure on his shoulders and we need him on the pitch, but only if he’s at his best level. If we see that he’s doing well, and the data and he himself tell us he’s fine, then he’ll play—just like everyone else.”

One can argue that these two Barcelona players are the most in need of a rest going forward. The French defender has played a ridiculous number of minutes this season without getting much rest, while Yamal is still only 17 years of age, and too much physical exertion can have long-term implications for his career.

But one can rely on Hansi Flick to properly manage the minutes of these important players, and if they do not really need to rest, there is no reason to take unnecessary risks in this crucial phase of the season.