Barça returns with mixed loads: Yamal and Gordon shine as Flick monitors fatigue

The international break has been uneven for the 17 Barça internationals and gives Hansi Flick a clear takeaway: some return in top form, while others come back with accumulated minutes. Lamine Yamal, for Spain, was the standout: 281 minutes and four goals plus one assist.

The biggest physical headline comes from between the posts. Livaković (Croatia) played all four matches from start to finish, racking up 360 minutes. Joao Cancelo also featured heavily with Portugal: 306 minutes, two full games and a substitution at 63 in the other two, plus two goals.

Goals lead the way

Cubarsí managed 270 minutes with Spain, playing three full matches and missing another because he wasn’t called up. Rodri scored in his spell (256 minutes), and Gordon (England) netted three times in 221 minutes.

There are also different workload returns: Olmo (220), Pedri (207, from 20 minutes up to 87 in the last match), Koundé (180), Adeyemi (155), Raphinha (135) and the rest with fewer minutes—Bernal (119), Fermín (99), Espart (90) and Bisiwu (70). Eric García didn’t play a single minute and returned early after feeling discomfort during the warm-up of Spain vs England. The coaching staff now has to manage recovery so the fatigue doesn’t hurt the next games.