According to Diario Sport , Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has heavily relied on Danish defender Heinz Christensen in preseason, hoping the 30-year-old will recover from his injury woes and make a comeback.
According to Diario Sport, Flick started Christensen in all of Barcelona's preseason friendlies, including matches against Como, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, and Udinese. Flick used this opportunity to assess Christensen's ability to handle the pressure of consecutive matches, which is the biggest test Christensen has faced in recent years.
Flick's heavy reliance on this player demonstrates the high hopes the Barcelona coaching staff has for him. Christensen is about to enter his fifth season at Barcelona, and the coaching staff wants to assess his physical condition and whether he can continue to deliver consistent performances. Recurring injuries in recent years have made it difficult for him to maintain a stable playing time.
In a highly symbolic arrangement, Christensen wore the captain's armband in most of the preseason friendlies. Only in the match against Nottingham Forest did Rafinha wear the armband. Christensen recently extended his contract until 2028, further illustrating his status.
Barcelona's sporting management also highly values the Danish defender, considering him important both on and off the field. His performance and playing time over the past two years have fallen short of expectations, making helping him regain his physical condition a top priority for the coaching staff.
From a tactical perspective, Christensen is also an important option for the new season. He can partner with Kubalsi at center-back, the latter of whom performed brilliantly in the last World Cup and has become the first choice in the defense. The Dane can also play left-back, and even advance to midfield using his ability to play the ball out from the back.
New fitness coach Benjamin Kougel faces the most challenging task: developing a detailed recovery plan for Christensen to bring him back to the level he was at Chelsea and Barcelona. Christensen's physical condition was excellent during preseason, raising hopes that he has the potential for a stellar season.
This time, whether Christensen can overcome his injury is more crucial than his technical ability. Flick values his abilities highly, especially after the national team players returned to training. The outside world will also have a clearer understanding of what role the German coach has reserved for this composed and tactically astute defender.
If Christensen can stay healthy and avoid another injury, he will undoubtedly be a significant reinforcement to Barcelona's defense. For Barcelona, this could be a "new signing" that costs almost nothing, requiring only trust and patience from the team. Barcelona continues to explore every possible way to strengthen their squad before the real competition begins.
