Barcelona without Pedri is not really the same Barcelona at all. It’s impossible to find a replacement.
Winning consistently without their midfield genius will require an effort by committee. The team will have
to adapt and lean into the unknown and discover they can find new solutions on the field.
One player in particular, however, has a golden opportunity in front of them, and that’s Marc Casadó.
Casadó is far from a like-for-like replacement of Pedri. Their playing styles could not be more different. But Casadó will be the player with the first shot at the starting eleven, to play alongside Frenkie de Jong in Hansi Flick’s double pivot setup.
In the Clásico, I was disappointed to not see Casadó start the game. I thought using him with Frenkie would allow Pedri to play in an attacking role, which was the best way to compensate for the long list of injuries to the forwards and midfielders. Ferran Torres would have been the man to sacrifice, because in the end, he was as invisible on the field as any player can be.
The question going forward is whether Casadó and Frenkie can vibe and hold down the fort in front of the defensive line. In such a setup, more will be asked of Frenkie offensively, while Casadó will sit back and provide the necessary defensive cover.
Casadó’s biggest competition for the role won’t be Marc Bernal, who still sems to need time in order to get back to full fitness, but perhaps Eric García.
Flick has options on the defensive line. Ronald Araujo can easily take the place of García.
Eric’s strength is his versatility. He could easily slip into the defensive midfield and make an impact. What Casadó lacks is the ability to make plays on the ball. Eric, on the other hand, is someone who can play the danger ball, while not sacrificing anything defensively.
Casadó was at his best a year ago when Bernal went down. He instantly injected life into the team with his aggression and ball winning ability. As a La Masia product, and a former captain by the way, he understands the Barcelona system and philosophy.
It’s in his hands now.
Flick will likely hand the job over to Casadó first. Barcelona can’t rely on him to replace Pedri, but they will be hoping to see the best version of himself, with the unique qualities that have brought Casadó this far in the game.
At his best, Casadó is a leader. He can step in and deputize and do the job that’s been given to him.
The question will be whether the rest of the team can adapt and embrace the role of protagonist while their magician recovers.
In the end, whether Pedri is around or not, it’s a team effort to win any game at this level.
Now would be a great time for Barcelona to prove to themselves that they are more than the sum of their parts.
