“He’s incredible” - Hansi Flick salutes 21-year-old Barcelona star as LaLiga giants secure impressive 4-1 win over Bayern Munich
Barcelona Hansi Flick has lavished praise on Marc Casado following his performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday, October 23. The Catalan giants secured a memorable 4-1 victory over the Bavarians at home, thanks to a Raphinha hat-trick.
The Brazilian opened the scoring in the first minute, rounding Manuel Neuer and finding the back of the net. Harry Kane leveled the scores in the 18th minute, but Robert Lewandowski put the LaLiga leaders ahead once again in the 36th minute.
Raphinha then scored his second of the night from an excellent Marc Casado crossfield ball in the 45th minute. The 27-year-old completed his hat-trick in the 56th minute, ending Barcelona's run of six defeats against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Following the game, Flick praiseed Casado and Barca's famed academy La Masia.
“He’s incredible. If you see him play now, if you know where he comes from… and the level now, everything that has improved. He’s incredibly good defensively, also with the ball at his feet. This is La Masia,” said Flick.
“I’m very happy. Everyone sees the quality of these players. You can see it in the second half when we combined and kept possession. It’s been very good,” he added.
Casado rose through the ranks at Barcelona before breaking into the team in 2022. He has registered 11 appearances across competitions under Hansi Flick this season, providing three assists.
Will Barcelona sign a new midfielder in 2025?
Barcelona have been linked with midfield reinforcements for a while. Joshua Kimmich is a long-term target for the Catalans and could be available for free next summer.
The German could be ideal at the heart of the LaLiga giants' midfield. The 29-year-old's contract with Bayern Munich expires at the end of this season and he is yet to sign a new deal.
However, the player is also being eyed by Real Madrid and Manchester City. Recent reports have suggested that he could also be open to a renewal with the Bavarians.
Barcelona do not have the finances to enter a bidding war for Kimmich. Instead, they could turn to their fabled La Masia to solve their midfield conundrum. Casado already looks like a fantastic choice for the job, while the Catalans also have Marc Bernal in their books.
The 17-year-old started the new season on fire, before picking up an ACL injury in late August. He could be Busquets' eventual successor at Camp Nou.