Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has drawn a fascinating comparison between young midfielder Marc Casado and Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, praising the 20-year-old’s physical attributes and versatility, Soccernet.football reports.
Casado, who impressed in Barcelona’s recent 1-0 victory over Valencia, is seen as a rising star at the Camp Nou.
Flick, who took charge of Barcelona this season, has been closely monitoring the development of the club’s youth players and has shown particular interest in Casado.
In the match against Valencia, Flick made a bold decision by starting two young midfielders — 17-year-old Marc Bernal and 20-year-old Marc Casado.
While Bernal played as a lone pivot, Casado operated as a box-to-box midfielder, covering vast areas of the pitch with relentless energy.
Casado’s performance was one of the standout positives for Barcelona, as the young Spaniard demonstrated his ability to press and maintain intensity throughout the match.
During the pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga clash against Athletic Bilbao, Flick spoke highly of Casado, drawing a parallel with Kimmich.
“Physically, he is comparable to Kimmich. I watched a lot of Barça B matches last season and I really liked him. I see him in training and in matches. I am happy with the youth team. He is fantastic for the club,” Flick stated as per MundoDeportivo.
With Barcelona looking to extend their winning start to the La Liga season, Casado’s role could prove crucial.
The young midfielder is likely to retain his place in the starting lineup against a physically demanding Athletic Bilbao side, as Flick continues to nurture and develop Barcelona’s next generation of talent.