Xavi Hernández bid farewell to Barcelona in 2015, leaving on a high note after securing the League, Cup, and Champions League titles as captain that year. At 35, he could have continued playing for a few more seasons, but plantar fasciitis ultimately forced him to leave the club.
His coach at the time, his close friend Luis Enrique, advised him that staying at Barça wouldn’t be ideal, as he would not get much playing time. Xavi’s plantar fasciitis made it difficult for him to play in consecutive matches.
Dani Olmo, like Xavi Hernández at 35…
Injuries are increasingly affecting Flick’s Barcelona this season, as highlighted by his recent struggles. After leaving for Qatar, Xavi Hernández extended his career for four more years, playing in a less physically demanding league until 2019.
Xavi’s injury troubles arose towards the end of his career, and now Dani Olmo finds himself in a similar situation. However, the key difference is that Olmo is only 26 years old, has just joined Barcelona, and is currently at the peak of his career.
Olmo’s medical history, though, is concerning, raising alarms at Camp Nou. Like Xavi in his time, he struggles to play three consecutive matches. Coach Flick must manage his playing time carefully to avoid further injury.
Olmo didn’t play a single minute in the Las Palmas match and was substituted in the 72nd minute in Mallorca, with Frenkie De Jong taking over and making a strong impact.
The newest Barça signing has a history of injuries, with his most recent setback being a pubis overload. This injury is just the latest in a troubling series of physical issues.
Over the past three years, Olmo has spent 345 days sidelined due to injuries, missing 68 games across four seasons between Leipzig and Barcelona. Since his move to Barça, he has already missed 41 days and 8 matches. The most recent issue stemmed from his pubis, following previous hamstring discomfort.
Last season, while still with Leipzig, Olmo was out for 147 days due to three separate injuries, causing him to miss 29 games. Despite this, he managed to shine at the European Championships, arriving in top shape.
Flick is taking extra care with Dani Olmo to prevent further injuries and ensure he doesn’t break down. Two seasons ago, Olmo was sidelined for 98 days and missed 20 games due to three separate injuries. Last season, he spent 100 days out and missed 19 games.
Olmo arrived at Barcelona injured this summer and has only been able to play sporadically due to recurring physical issues.
Barcelona is actively searching for solutions. While his performances on the field are excellent when he does play, the challenge is that his appearances are less frequent than the club would like.
