FIFA president feels one Barcelona player should have been at the Club World Cup | OneFootball

Hansi Flick’s debut season at FC Barcelona has been nothing short of remarkable. The German manager has guided the Catalan club to a domestic treble and came agonizingly close to reaching the Champions League final in Munich.

Barcelona will also not be playing in the inaugural edition of the revamped Club World Cup as they narrowly missed out to Atletico Madrid based on their performances in the European competitions over the past few years.

In one way, it is a blessing in disguise that allows Barcelona players to get more rest than some of their competitors. The calendar is extremely unforgiving, and this is a sacrifice that might be worth making in the long run.

Lamine has been in brilliant form this season. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Lamine has been Barcelona’s best player this season

On the other hand, it is the opportunity for a silverware that Hansi Flick’s men won’t be able to get their hands on. It also denies players like Lamine Yamal and Pedri to showcase their talent at a new tournament that would grab eyeballs.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is the latest to join the bandwagon in the praise for Lamine Yamal, as quoted by SPORT. He lamented at the player’s absence from the Club World Cup. He said:

“He’s fantastic. He’s still a kid and plays at an incredible level. He has the quality of true champions because he makes difficult things look easy. When you watch him play, you think it’s simple — but if you try to do what he does… He should be playing in the Club World Cup.”

As much as Infantino wants Lamine in the tournament, the 17-year-old has played way too much football for his age. The Spaniard has done brilliantly throughout the season and once he is done with the Nations League, he will get some much deserved rest.

Time to rest and recover

In many ways, Barcelona, much like Liverpool, would be glad to have not qualified for the continental competition. At the current stage of their development, the Catalan club don’t have the squad depth to compete on all fronts.

The Club World Cup spotlight will shine elsewhere in 2025, but Barcelona’s long-term prospects remain bright. With more time to recharge and refine under Flick, the club could be primed to return to the global stage, stronger than ever, by 2029.