Marc Casado was a surprising inclusion in the starting eleven as many expected Gavi to take the place of an absent Frenkie De Jong.
This start comes off the back of many transfer rumors surrounding the Spanish midfielder and Hansi Flick saying he wanted to keep the midfielder.
Casado had the chance to prove his worth and stake his claim to why the team shouldn’t sell him but it was less than stellar.
Performance Against Levante
To be fair to Casado, the set up for this game was far from ideal as Hansi Flick decided to experiment with Raphinha as the 10 and it didn’t work. At times it felt like Barcelona were playing with one less midfielder and Casado had to consistently track back and help out the high line.
He did well in that aspect of the game as he prevented a goal with a crucial tackle, but it still wasn’t a great performance. He wasn’t retaining the ball well and had one too many loose touches that added to the chaos of the first half.
While it’s harsh on him, it shows why players like Gavi, De Jong, and Marc Bernal are and should be ahead of him as they bring the control and touch that makes this team better.
For Casado, this can’t be a good sign as he was given a chance to get a start and ended up being hooked at the half and his replacement, Gavi, looked much better than him.
It’s the type of performances that add fuel to the rumors of a departure and doesn’t look like one that’ll help keep him around.
