FC Barcelona took a trip to face Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 and emerged victorious, securing a slender 2-0 win. It was a hard-fought game decided by a moment of brilliance.
Hansi Flick made an early substitution in the second half, bringing Fermin Lopez on for Marc Bernal, and he ended up having a game-changing cameo. His exquisite pass picked out Ferran Torres, who finished expertly to give Barcelona the lead.
The German manager has shown tactical nous with his in-game changes, and last night was yet another example. After the game, he was asked about Fermin, and Flick had a lot of praise for him, as quoted by MARCA:
“He’s special. Not all players are like him—I like his attitude, his dynamism… he changes situations in the match with his movement, his passing… and he scores too. He’s always in the right position. He’s a very good player for us.”
Fermin is proving to be a G/A magnet this season. He has 8 goals and 10 assists across all competitions in 23 games for Barcelona, despite a couple of injury-disrupted periods in that time.
The Spaniard almost always makes things happen for Barcelona. His passing, movement, and shooting are not usually seen as a single package in midfielders who come through La Masia, and they make him a unique profile.
One of Barcelona’s most important players, he will continue to be so for the rest of the season and beyond. Let us hope he can continue his good form for a long time to come.
