According to reports, Hansi Flick is likely to use the match against Espanyol to rest his overworked players, especially in midfield. Marc Casadó’s name is strongly in contention. The Catalan player played a key role at the start of the season, but his position in the starting lineup diminished with the return of Frenkie de Jong to top form. Now, after receiving medical clearance on Saturday, he could return to the pitch against Espanyol—the same team against which he delivered an outstanding performance in the first leg at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium.

Casadó started the season as a regular player and had impressed Flick during the summer preseason. He delivered a flawless performance in the away derby: involved in 67 situations, completing 56 out of 58 passes with 96.6% accuracy, and providing an assist to Raphinha for Barcelona’s second goal in a 3-1 victory. Now, after being sidelined since the match against Atlético Madrid on March 16, he could return to face Espanyol once again.

With de Jong regaining his ideal form, Casadó gradually saw less playing time. From late January until his injury, he only played sporadically, while de Jong became the main midfielder. On Saturday, before the match against Real Madrid, Casadó received medical clearance after recovering from a minor lateral ligament tear in his right knee, but he did not play a single minute in Sunday’s El Clásico.

The match against Espanyol could be the moment Flick chooses for Casadó’s return. He had a brilliant performance in the first leg. After the game at Montjuïc, Flick said: “He really does an excellent job. He has made remarkable progress, and his performance is outstanding. We are very satisfied with him. In both defense and attack, he does everything perfectly.”