Sport reports that Flick faces a dilemma over who should fill the last spot in Barcelona's defense. Cancelo, Cubarsi and Gerard Martín are almost certain to take three of the four positions, while the fourth remains undecided, and the coaching staff is weighing two options.
The first option is to pair Cubarsi and Gerard Martín at center-back, with Cancelo at full-back, possibly on the left, and Brian Fariñas also in the back line. This is the more natural choice. The second option is to partner De Jong with Cubarsi at center-back, with Cancelo and Gerard Martín covering the flanks.
Given the current injury situation, either arrangement could work. Eric Garcia, Xavi Espart, Kounde and Christensen are all out injured. Kounde's case is particularly awkward: he sprained his left ankle in the match against Real Betis and has not fully recovered, so Barcelona must find alternatives.
Flick has two choices at hand, and the upcoming match against attack-minded Aston Villa may reveal his preference.
Brian Fariñas performed well in the previous match against Deportivo Alavés. He started alongside De Jong while Gerard Martín was rested. Fariñas stayed disciplined defensively and added energy to the team's attack, giving Yamal more space.
The player had not yet made an official appearance this season, but he unexpectedly got his chance against Deportivo Alavés and made the most of it. He tried playing right-back during pre-season, although he mainly played in midfield during his time at La Masia. His case is somewhat similar to that of Xavi Espart, one of this season's major discoveries.
Many analysts support the option of De Jong playing as a makeshift center-back. However, this arrangement could carry some risks against Aston Villa.
Alex Delmas said on SPORT's "Ball Possession" program that if the team is plagued by injuries, De Jong is fully capable of playing center-back in some matches.
"In my opinion, if De Jong plays center-back, he can perform at the highest level. Playing him there amounts to adopting a pure 4-3-3. In the 2022-23 season, Guardiola used Stones in this role and ultimately won the Champions League. Of course, the players in the other three defensive positions must have good positional awareness," said Delmas.
However, he also believes that, under the current circumstances, Flick may not adopt this plan immediately: "The team is in this state now, with too many injuries. I don't think we will see such an arrangement tomorrow."
The defensive line predicted on the show was Cancelo, Gerard Martín, Cubarsi and Brian Fariñas.
The midfield, by contrast, is more complicated. With Rodri's arrival, he and Pedri are expected to form a good partnership, but how to arrange the three players, including De Jong, remains a question.
Delmas proposed a solution: "The first option is to use Rodri as the deepest midfielder in a triangle, with De Jong and Pedri in front of him. Flick likes this arrangement because the team can control the game better. It also allows midfielders to rest and makes squad rotation possible. Fermín López can be placed on the left."
De Jong has played center-back before. In the 2017-18 season at Ajax, after Davinson Sánchez transferred to Tottenham Hotspur, De Jong helped the team by dropping into the defensive line. In the following 14 matches, he partnered De Ligt at center-back.
Compared with a traditional center-back, De Jong is more like a libero. When the team has possession, he can step out of the defense and advance into midfield to support the attack.