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Should João Cancelo and Xavi Espart be Barcelona’s starting full-backs?
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- Should João Cancelo and Xavi Espart be Barcelona’s starting full-backs?
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It's become increasingly harder to think of Barcelona's starting XI without the presence of Xavi Espart, who has played every second of football for Hansi Flick so far and looks like a perfect fit for the left-back position in the coach's formation to begin the season.
Espart has been very impressive since preseason playing three different positions at a very high level and has made the left-back spot his so far, which is forcing Flick to think outside the box to fit one of his favorite players, João Cancelo, into the lineup.
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According to reporting from Catalan media this week, Flick has experimented with Cancelo at right-back in training to keep Espart in the lineup, giving the team two attack-minded full-backs.
Flick has always preferred a more defensive-minded right-back with previous center-back experience, like Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia, but he's been willing to try a more offensive look with Cancelo in that role.
Cancelo has plenty of experience as a right-back for club and country in his past, and could be a lethal partner for Lamine Yamal on the right wing while Espart plays on the other side with a more inverted focus to give Anthony Gordon even more space on the left wing.
It's certainly a look worth exploring in training, and it remains to be seen if and when Flick will be ready to try it in a game.
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So today's Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is:
Should João Cancelo and Xavi Espart be Barcelona's starting full-backs?
Now it's over to you! Feel free to share your teams, thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!
