The Return of Spring in Barcelona

BARCELONA, SUNDAY — After trailing two points behind Real Madrid, fortune has smiled upon Barcelona. The injuries to Pedri and Raphinha contributed to Barca's inconsistency. Now that both players are starting to recover, Barcelona's spring season has returned. Barcelona capitalized on Real's defeat to Girona by defeating Levante, 3-0, at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona.

Thanks to that victory, Barca has dethroned Real from the top of the standings. Barca now has 61 points from 25 matches, one point ahead of Real in second place. With 13 weeks remaining until the end of the season, Barca has now taken control of the competition for the La Liga title.

"This (win) is important and positive. We had an opportunity after Saturday's (Real Madrid) result, and we took advantage of it. But there's still a long way to go. Today we gave the answer we needed," said Barca coach Hansi Flick after Sunday's match (February 22, 2026), as quoted by Diario AS.

For more than a week, Flick has been troubled by the injuries of his key players. Without Pedri and Raphinha, the pressing scheme with a high defensive line characteristic of Flick did not function optimally. As a result, Barca was defeated by four goals without reply in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey by Atletico Madrid.

Not stopping there, Barca suffered another defeat, losing 1-2 to the lower-ranked team Girona. Fortunately, the injuries to Pedri and Raphinha were not too severe. Raphinha, who had not performed at his best due to still being in the recovery process, was played again in this match against Girona. He made a total of five shots and created three chances.

Raphinha's movement was able to draw Levante, who employed a five-defender formation while defending. As a result, he created space for his teammates, particularly Lamine Yamal and Jules Kounde, on the right side. Raphinha also became the player with the most touches inside the penalty area throughout the match, totaling 11 times.

However, Raphinha did not play a role in Barca's goals. The three winning goals for Barca were scored by Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong, and Fermin Lopez. Bernal drew attention after scoring his second goal of the season. The 18-year-old player filled the defensive midfielder position usually occupied by Pedri.

Flick intentionally did not play Pedri from the start as he has not yet fully recovered. Flick's strategy focuses on the gradual healing of Pedri's injury while continuing to provide him with playing minutes little by little.

Flick did not repeat the mistakes from the previous match by placing Dani Olmo as a partner to De Jong in the defensive midfield position. Olmo is originally an attacking midfielder. He does not possess a natural instinct for defending, let alone protecting the defenders. Reflecting on that error, Flick this time entrusted the defensive midfield position to Bernal.

Unexpectedly, Bernal performed beyond expectations. His positioning and the way he protected the four defenders received praise from Flick. Additionally, his keen ability to join the attack resulted in the opening goal for Barca. If he continues to perform consistently, Flick may not struggle to find a replacement for Pedri.

"When playing with a very deep defensive block, you need a midfielder to support you from the back line. Marc is a great player for the future. I hope he has a bright future if he stays fit," said Flick.

The coach's skill in implementing rotation policies plays a significant role in navigating the relatively long league-format competition. Currently, the competition for the La Liga title is once again centered around Real and Barca. The side that is more adept at rotating players amid a busy schedule is likely to emerge as the champion at the end of the season.

Like Barca, Real is also troubled by the injuries of several key players such as Eder Militao, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo. Meanwhile, Real's main goal machine, Kylian Mbappe, is not yet fully fit. Following the defeat to Girona, Real confirmed that Dani Ceballos has been added to the list of injured players.

The absence of several key players is likely to compel Real's Coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, to promote some academy players such as Thiago Pitarch or Jorge Cestero.

"A team shows its strength when difficulties arise. What must not emerge is doubt. I still have great faith in my players and their hard work. We need to maintain that level of demand over time, and that is what we must continue to strive for," said Arbeloa.

Injuries can indeed be managed with team depth, but the coach's keen eye in recognizing player potential, as demonstrated by Flick with Bernal, is equally important. A similar approach could be applied by Arbeloa if he is compelled to grant playing time to an academy graduate.

The depth of the team will mean nothing if the coach places players in positions that are not their expertise. In this case, Flick took a risk by playing Bernal and then reaped the rewards.