Barcelona prodigy ranked second best U23 midfielder in world football in key metric | OneFootball

The breakthrough of Marc Casado has been one of the top takeaways for Barcelona in a season where headlines were mostly dominated by the attackers.

In what is his first full season at the elite level, the 20-year-old midfielder has made a significant impact under Hansi Flick.

With injuries and departures disrupting the Blaugrana midfield earlier in the campaign, Casado seized his opportunity and established himself as a key figure in the squad.

Second-best U23 midfielder in the world

Casado’s brilliant performances this season have not unnoticed either. According to CIES Football Observatory, the Barcelona starlet is currently the second-best U23 midfielder in world football in terms of the best ground defence index.

In its recent note, CIES Football Observatory has given Casado an impressive rating of 84.5 out of 100, trailing only Borussia Monchengladbach’s Rocco Reitz, reports SPORT.

This remarkable feat places him ahead of elite young talents such as Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, PSG’s Joao Neves, and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga.

One of the best midfield talents in the world. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Casado earning a spot higher than these stars is hardly surprising as the young midfielder has been the beating heart of the Barcelona midfield, featuring in 31 matches across all competitions and accumulating 2,180 minutes.

What’s next for Casado?

Casado, though, must not get too ahead of him and become complacent. In fact, the youngster is facing a critical predicament right now, where star midfielder Frenkie de Jong appears to have regained his place in the squad.

This is thanks to the Dutchman’s brilliant performances in recent weeks, which have helped him regain the trust of coach Hansi Flick.

Keeping that in mind, Casado’s objective will be to return to Flick’s game plan and once again become the main number six for the club.

There are a few factors that may aid Casado in the long run, including de Jong’s uncertain future and seemingly uncertain contract extension talks that are scheduled to take place later in the season.