Three talking points from Barcelona 3-0 Osasuna | OneFootball

Barcelona may not have been happy with La Liga’s decision to play the game in hand against Osasuna last night, but then stepped up and showed that they are capable of winning with ease even with the multiple constraints imposed on them.

Ferran Torres opened the scoring with an instinctive finish around the ten-minute mark before Dani Olmo calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net from the penalty spot before half-time.

Osasuna attempted to mount a comeback in the second period but a lethal counterattack from Barcelona killed their hopes and solidified the result, giving Hansi Flick’s men all three points beyond doubt.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Barcelona 3-0 Osasuna.

10/10 for squad management

Hansi Flick has truly changed the way Barcelona enter and see games under his management and his contribution towards improving the team’s self-belief is invaluable.

Another aspect that he has been spot-on since the day he took over, needless to say, is in the management of the squad both in terms of rotations and team selection.

With Barcelona’s game against Osasuna being confirmed quite late and still tangibly during the international break, the manager was left in a situation where some key players had just returned from international duty while others accumulated heavy minutes during the hiatus.

His man-management last night deserves a 10 out of 10 given the circumstances he was faced with and how he handled the situation smoothly without any panic.

For starters, Raphinha was not included in the squad list for the game to ensure he gets sufficient rest after Brazil’s high-octane clash against Argentina while Ronald Araujo stayed on the bench throughout despite being in the squad.

Robert Lewandowski, who had a hectic duty with Poland considering his age, started on the bench as well and only came on late in the second half.

Frenkie de Jong, meanwhile, started the game but was taken off as early as half-time given his hectic schedule in recent weeks and the need for precaution.

Further, the manager did not call on Pau Cubarsi in any capacity despite having him on the bench against Osasuna and stabilised the ship well with Eric Garcia in the department.

Pablo Torre has a lot to offer

Making the most of his chance. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Hansi Flick’s decision to take Frenkie de Jong off at halftime was not surprising, especially with reports that the player had a mild discomfort that he preferred to kill in the early stages.

What intrigued many was the German tactician’s decision to give Pablo Torre 45 minutes of action in De Jong’s place and the youngster put up a show that could be season-defining for him.

Torre’s struggle for minutes this season has had little to do with his quality. He has impressed and contributed in all the few minutes entrusted to him but the cut-throat competition saw him placed last on the manager’s pecking order.

As the season nears its business end, especially with Marc Casado joining Marc Bernal on the sidelines, Torre may well have a bigger role to play for the Catalans and last night was a trailer of what he can bring to the field.

In 45 minutes last night, the 21-year-old completed 88% of his 43 passes, did not hesitate to get involved in the buildup and thrived in tight spaces with his skill. He even created Barcelona’s third goal all by himself on the night, setting Fermin Lopez loose on the flank.

Torre’s profile, needless to say, can be a lethal weapon for Flick in the attacking midfield department. Given Dani Olmi’s fitness struggles, he and Fermin Lopez may have big roles to play as the season progresses and the squad depth is tested.

An effective conversion

A string of results in La Liga last month saw Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid lose steam in the title race and Barcelona regain ground on the standings.

The Catalans had a chance to go three points clear with a win over Osasuna towards the beginning of the month, but the postponement of the game saw the fixture persist as a game in hand.

Theoretically, many still considered Barcelona to be three full points clear of Real Madrid. However, history is witness that no points can be counted until the final whistle has been blown and it was critical that Barcelona convert the theoretical advantage into a real-life margin last night.

Despite the trouble that the Pamplona-based side gave them earlier this season in La Liga, Barcelona appeared to be confident and in control throughout the game last night.

Wojciech Szczesny went untested on the night, the defensive line was not tested much barring a short period in the second half and the midfield ensured that Barcelona retained close to 75% of the possession on the night.

It is clear that the team is slowly going into a mode where games are won in auto-pilot and Flick could not have hoped for a better time for the cohesion to peak. Last night’s effortless and efficient conversion was another example of the same.