Hansi Flick has found his perfect Barcelona midfield trio – Opinion | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have progressed to the quarterfinals of the Champions League having gotten past Benfica 4-1 on aggregate. The Catalan side took a slender 1-0 lead at Estadio da Luz despite being a man down for the majority of the game and clinically dispatched the Portuguese side 3-1 at the Montjuic.

Hansi Flick’s men have been on a roll since the start of 2025 and are the only unbeaten team in Europe. Their performances have been right up there and a case can be made for them being the most in-form team at the moment.

The German coach has rotated the squad admirably and kept everyone fresh and firing for the key part of the season. Except for Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, everyone else seems to have been afforded rest at different times this campaign.

In the past few weeks though, it does seem as though Hansi Flick has finally identified his go-to midfield for the big games. Against Benfica, the axis of Frenkie de Jong-Pedri-Dani Olmo functioned so beautifully on the night.

Frenkie de Jong has turned it around in some fashion and is playing some of the best football of his Barcelona career. The Dutchman is thriving in a role that brings the best out of him and also looks so much more improved defensively.

In recent weeks, it has been a regular feature where Frenkie has anticipated opposition attacks and placed himself perfectly to contribute defensively, often stopping attacks at source. This is a new facet of his game that Flick seems to have brought out.

The 27-year-old has also fashioned a beautiful relationship with Pedri on the field and the duo’s link-up play is a sight for sore eyes. They complement and cover for each other very well and long may this partnership continue.

Pedri meanwhile is the best midfielder in the world. The 22-year-old is running the show for Barcelona. Putting in 7/10 performances week-in and week-out is remarkable but the Spaniard is currently putting in 9/10 and 10/10 performances every week.

Finally, coming to Dani Olmo – the underrated piece in this cog. The 26-year-old playmaker takes up incredible positions on the field, making it impossible for opposition defenders to follow him and his movements on the pitch.

At his best and when completely fit, Olmo is so good to watch on the pitch and his close control and vision make him one of the very best in his position. Although he did not do much in terms of returns against Benfica, his performance was still lovely to watch.

The trio consists of three very different profiles, yet they complement each other beautifully, as seen in recent weeks. Going forward, this should be Hansi Flick’s go-to midfield for the big games and let’s wait and see how it plays out.