FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make two major changes to his starting line-up, plus a tactical tweak, when his men host Real Valladolid at the Montjuic stadium in La Liga on Saturday.

Flick is still reeling from the loss of teenage defensive midfielder Marc Bernal, who went off in injury time of the Blaugrana’s last match – a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano – with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

He is expected to miss the remainder of the season after winning all three games for his boyhood club so far in 2024/25.

“Bernal did a great job in the game against Rayo, we will miss him,” Flick complained at a pre-match press conference on Friday.

“It’s incredible the game he has at 17, the ideas. When I watched the last three games again, what Marc is doing is incredible. We’ll see how we replace him, but I’m happy with what we have.”

Flick became the first Barça manager to win his opening three games of a season since Ernesto Valverde in the 2018-19 title race, and played down rumours that he is the man of the moment.

“It’s not my job to talk about me, it’s not about that. What I can say and see with the rest of my staff is that there is a very special atmosphere, a very good mentality,” he explained.

“I like the Spanish players I’ve worked with, in Munich and here. They have a great mentality. What I see after beating Rayo and after Marc’s injury… I’ve seen the support of the rest of the team for Marc, how united they are.

Flick said this made him “proud”. “Attitude, teamwork, I like that. We will only win if we work together, in attack and defence. More things will happen during the season…”, he predicted.

During the same press conference, Flick named Marc Casado as a possible replacement for Bernal. He will be included in the team immediately in the modified 4-1-2-3 formation.

Casado will front a defensive line of Alejandro Balde, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Jules Kounde, and behind a more advanced midfield duo of Pedri and Dani Olmo, who played fantastically in the second half for Rayo.

Ferran Torres is benched to indirectly make way for Olmo. Up top, it’s Raphinha and Lamine Yamal to the left and right of striker Robert Lewandowski, while goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is the captain.

FC Barcelona First XI Vs. Real Valladolid: Ter Stegen; Balde, Inigo, Cubarsi, Kounde; Casado; Olmo, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine