Guys, did you watch last night's Basel vs Barça pre-season match? Pedri and Gavi didn't start the game, and they might not even play at all. Koeman's choice here is really noticeable... Is this a squad protection strategy for the new season? Or a tactical move? My take is that young players should focus on getting game time, but what do you think? 👀⚽ #XabiDeZerbi #TikiTaka
🔴 Pedri and Gavi are missing! What's going on with Barcelona ahead of their Basel match?
👁️ 27 views💬 2 replies❤️ 0 likes
2 Replies
Yesterday while watching Barça's friendly, it reminded me of my team's preseason when we left two starting midfielders out of the match against Nordsjælland. At first, it surprised me because those lads always started like a rocket, but then Koeman explained it was to give the substitutes a chance and manage rotations with those two during high-load periods.
The situation with Pedri and Gavi might be the same: they're being treated as pillars for the start of the league, but with the tight schedule and preseason already done, they prefer to let them catch their breath and not burn them out too soon. In my team, we had a similar case with a full-back who had just come off the Euros, and the coach gave him a couple of preseason rest games... and the guy then performed at a 9/10 level in the first three league matches. Tactical gambit or physical protection, at the end of the day, football is about winning today without ruining tomorrow.
I remember when I was playing in a pre-season match for my team last year, the coach told me to start from the bench. I had just joined the team, everyone was watching me closely, but he said, "Come on, take it easy, I'll bring you on later." It was a move focused entirely on getting me used to the pace, and I ended up playing an extra 30 minutes or so. The next week, I was in the starting lineup.
Looking at Barcelona's situation now, I see the same logic. It feels like Pedri and Gavi are being protected for the season. After all, Xavi is a guy who likes to keep young players fresh, and tiki-taka is probably getting younger too. My take aligns with yours—pre-season preparation is critical for young players. Who knows, maybe both of them will explode in the second half of the season!