The attacking options in Barcelona were in a spot of bother before the break in the season. A long-term injury to Ousmane Dembele had forced them to sign Martin Braithwaite in an emergency, although Luis Suarez was still absent after knee surgery. Now, the picture is very different, as Setien is trying to solve a dilemma that he didn’t expect to have: a variety of upfront choices.
With the MSG trident of Lionel Messi, Suarez, and Antoine Griezmann all together, it seems as if Braithwaite and Ansu Fati will have to wait in the wings for the chances. However, judging by their performances in opening two games back in Barcelona, leaving them both out appears to be difficult.
Suarez’s lack of fitness and match-sharpness has enabled both Braithwaite and Ansu Fati to play since the reinstatement of the season. The former netted his first goal against Real Mallorca for Barcelona before the latter scored the Camp Nou opener against Leganes.
Their roles and places in two positive results mean Setien has the unenviable task of balancing his forwards minutes so as not to interrupt any of them.
“They ‘re going to rotate, all the players I have attacked. I hope I can give them the maximum possible number of minutes.”Setien means well in his attempts to rotate his offensive squad, but he will have a problem bringing squad out for big games,” the Barcelona manager said.
This Friday, as they head to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to face Seville, their remaining matches will be the first standout fixture.
Whoever is left out of the start line-up on the big occasion won’t be happy but Griezmann is one player who doesn’t have to think about it. The Frenchman wasn’t on top form in his last two appearances but he seems to have the full confidence of his boss.
For Setien, Griezmann is undroppable, though he is not a prolific goal scorer in Barcelona colors.
