Barcelona, with their numerical superiority, were losing possession too readily in the second half in Girona, so Ernesto Valverde looked at his bench to change things and opted to do so by bringing off Arturo Vidal to replace him with Arthur.
The control of the game passed to the feet of the Brazilian and an eternal dilemma now surrounds a position that still has an unknown hanging over it.
Who will play the important games when Barcelona are fighting for titles? Only Valverde knows the answer.
We have seen the duo together, separately and replacing each other, so the coach has tried all the combinations.
Sometimes by choice, sometimes due to rotation and sometimes because he had to do, but both have often alternated.
Arthur began as the undisputed starter and Vidal had a little run-in with the coach over the lack of minutes.
The situation took an unexpected turn and the Chilean, also taking advantage of a small injury to the Brazilian, took his place in the starting side.
Both men's numbers are similar as they have almost the same minutes in the league, while Arthur has more prominence in the Champions League and Vidal the same in the Copa del Rey.
With Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic both fixtures in the XI and with Philippe Coutinho fighting for a place with Ousmane Dembele in the attacking trident, the two 'Arthurs' will fight for the only free position in the team and it doesn't seem clear who will win.
Vidal is usually the man used when the team plays away from the Camp Nou and Arthur is often handed a chance at home.
It isn't a universal rule, but the tendency of the coach is aimed at that way of doing things.
However, and in opposition to what most fans think, it is Arthur who stands out defensively and Vidal on the offensive side of things.
Arthur vs Arturo Vidal
The Chilean has two goals and three assists so far this season, compared with a single assist from the Brazilian.
It is Arthur who leads the stats for recovering the ball back, doing so 99 times, compared to 81 for the former Bayern Munich man.
They are different players with different styles and bring two options for a single position.
Who will be chosen in the decisive part of the season?
Davichi
110
I don't see this as something to debate about, because there is a clear difference between the two of them. Arthur is more of the traditional Barca midfielder with a combination of Xavi' style (the way he controls the ball) and Iniesta's style (his attacking ability and pace). I expect him to have more chances, because he's the future of the CM. Vidal is a rugged midfielder that is good at breaking down opponents attack and helping his team in attack too, but he's not the midfield maestro that can control the game like Arthur. Vidal is best for aggressive teams, while Arthur affords the team more control over the ball... I still remember that Guardiola had Yaya Toure and Keita to handle very physical opponents. However the 3 man midfield ought to be Busquet, Rakitic and Coutinho, but the latter's current condition has made things tougher for him. Well there are still many games to play and everyone will have their opportunities, but I expect Arthur to feature more in big games than Vidal.
moore8
80
this dilemma can be simply solved by what they need into the game,if you need strength and more cover for your back 4,more aggressive game then Vidal wins it,but if you need Barca to have more of the game,play with calmness and win more possession then Arthur takes it all,I think both of them can play interchangeably in a single game depending on the results
Mboy_Swag04
80
I would say Arthur. If you want possession and tiki taka style football he is much more technically gifted. Vidal is good but energy off the bench is what a team needs in the final 30-40 minutes which is what Vidal brings to the table.