Marc Casado’s Rapid Rise to Hansi Flick’s Key Player for Barcelona in Just Four Months

In just four months, Barcelona’s Marc Casado has transformed from a tearful youth team player to a key figure under Hansi Flick.

Marc Casado Establishing Himself

Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, at just 21 years old, has made a significant impact on the football scene with standout performances during a remarkable week for the club, where they triumphed over Bayern Munich 4-1 and Real Madrid 4-0.

As a holding midfielder, he has excelled against top-tier teams, quickly winning the hearts of fans in Catalonia after a stellar start to the season. His journey is even more impressive considering he was contemplating leaving his childhood club at the end of the previous season.

Under former manager Xavi, Casado received limited first-team opportunities, as Xavi was still pursuing the addition of a new holding midfielder while also wanting to retain 32-year-old veteran Sergi Roberto, who can fill that role for another year. Aware that Barcelona was open to allowing Casado to leave this summer, his representatives began looking into potential options.

The 2023-24 season concluded in heartbreak for Casado. He captained Barcelona Atletic, the club’s second team, formerly known as Barca B, which reached the play-off final for promotion to Spain’s second division. However, they fell short, losing 2-1 to Cordoba in the away match, resulting in a 3-2 aggregate defeat. Overcome with emotion, he was unable to contain his tears during a post-match interview with Catalan television station TV3.

“I want to apologise to the fans, but we just gave it all and tried it our way, that’s all I can say,” Casado said.

As mentioned earlier, his future was uncertain at that time. However, Xavi’s dismissal in May created an opportunity for him to remain at the club. The decision by sporting director Deco not to renew Sergi Roberto’s expiring contract in favor of promoting talents from Barca’s La Masia academy also played a crucial role. The pivotal moment, however, came when he began working with new manager Hansi Flick.

Casado excelled during pre-season and has become an embodiment of the German’s strategies on the field—a role he continues to fulfill. In every match, Flick can be seen calling out to him from the sidelines, waiting for Casado to convey his instructions to the rest of the team. His leadership qualities and vocal presence have provided Flick with an effective means to engage with the younger players in the locker room. Casado has a significant impact on these teammates, boosting his own confidence and enabling him to perform at levels previously unforeseen.

His opportunity in the holding midfield role arose partly due to injuries sustained by Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal, a 17-year-old La Masia graduate who was initially favored by Flick for that position until he suffered a season-ending knee injury in late August.

Casado’s Versatile Role and Key Contributions in Barcelona’s Midfield

At the season’s outset, Casado was deployed in several positions, including as a No. 8 against Valencia, Getafe, and Alaves. He first started as a holding midfielder against Real Valladolid on August 31, although the opposition’s deep defending made his position appear more advanced than usual, as shown in the graphic below. Since Bernal’s injury, he has firmly established himself in that role.

His performance in the Clasico last Saturday highlighted his significance. Although he played just 65 minutes, he finished with the second-most completed passes on the pitch (57) and contributed 17 defensive actions, the second-highest total of any player.

Casado was clearly instructed to be one of the team’s initial points of contact in the inside channels, as indicated by his average position map below. Additionally, he was tasked with shifting the play to the wings, frequently linking up with left winger Raphinha and left-back Alejandro Balde.

At half-time, with the score still tied at zero, Flick opted to bring De Jong on. Although Casado had been booked for a foul on Vinicius Junior and seemed the likely candidate for substitution, Flick chose to keep him on, replacing Fermin Lopez instead.

This decision proved to be astute. Just eight minutes into the second half, Casado delivered the pass that broke the deadlock in El Clasico, advancing from deep and threading a perfectly placed ball past Madrid’s midfield and defense for Robert Lewandowski to score the opening goal.

This wasn’t the first time Casado showcased a pass of that caliber; he arguably provided an even better assist for Pedri during the 4-1 victory over Girona earlier this season. These types of plays illustrate why he is much more than just a tidy midfielder.

Flick wants him to remain constantly active within his system. Casado has received more passes than any other La Liga midfielder this season, averaging 60.6 per 90 minutes, while only three midfielders—Ivan Martin from Girona, Federico Valverde from Real Madrid, and Pedri—have been more involved in goal-scoring sequences than his six contributions.

Only five La Liga midfielders boast a higher passing accuracy than his impressive rate of 90.6 percent. His passing sonar illustrates that he typically opts for short, safe passes when playing backward, but he is also willing to deliver longer balls to the flanks or seek out incisive forward passes.

“Casado is simply incredible,” Flick remarked to reporters after the Bayern game last week. “If you knew his background and then saw how he plays now, his level, and all the improvements he’s made… He excels defensively and is equally skilled on the ball. He has an exceptional desire to improve and learn constantly. His mentality is outstanding—a true La Masia product.”

A Steady Ascent to the Barcelona First Team

Casado’s journey to the Barcelona first team has not been swift. He joined the club from local side Damm in 2016, becoming part of a La Masia generation that included current RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons. There were moments of uncertainty regarding his physical development—standing at 5ft 8in (172cm), he was never the tallest player—but he has surmounted these challenges through sheer perseverance.

He dedicated two full seasons to Barca Atletic, a rarity in today’s football landscape where players often expect to transition to senior football more rapidly. During this time, he developed a strong rapport with Atletic’s manager, the legendary Barca and Mexico defender Rafa Marquez, who is now part of the coaching staff for the Mexican national team.

“If I am where I am now, it is thanks in large part to Rafa Marquez,” Casado expressed to reporters in a post-match mixed zone last month. “He granted me his unwavering trust and guided me on how to become a better footballer and person. He emphasized the importance of self-improvement beyond the football pitch as well. I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life.”

Marquez received these sentiments warmly, responding on social media. “As a manager, one of the most rewarding things is to receive gratitude and to see how you can aid a player’s development,” he wrote on X. “Casado exemplifies professionalism from head to toe. Congratulations! I’m thrilled with his performances.”

As more players grow impatient with their playing time, Casado has shown that it is still possible to exercise patience and achieve success. Lamine Yamal is justifiably regarded as La Masia’s crown jewel and serves as an aspirational figure for every young player in Barca’s youth system, but he is not the standard. The 17-year-old is a generational talent whose potential is rarely matched by others.

Casado represents a more realistic path for a footballer, marked by struggles, uncertainties, serendipitous events, and a deep belief in Barcelona’s footballing philosophy and how it can enhance his skill set.

Now, he is living the dream. This is something to be celebrated for both Barcelona and their La Masia brand.

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