As the group stage phase of the Champions League concludes, Hansi Flick has already established the central group of players who will probably play key roles in the search for Barcelona for the final.
Of the eight rounds, only four players, Jules Kounde, Pedri, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, have started each game.
In addition to these four, there is a second group that has made regular appearances, while others have had limited minutes in the field.
The central group
Kounde, Pedri, Raphinha and Lewandowski have appeared in the eight games of the Champions League, both at home in Montjuic and far.
Of these players, Kounde has been the most consistent, playing most of the minutes. The French right side has completed the 90 minutes full in seven of the eight games, with its only replacement in the 74th minute against Benfica.
This change was part of a tactical change to cause more attacking players as the game progressed.
Pedri, Raphinha and Lewandowski have also contributed to a large extent, each playing a significant number of minutes.
Pedri has appeared in each game, with 638 minutes in its name, although it has only completed two complete games, the most recent against Dortmund and Benfica.
His role has been versatile, since he has alternated between the double pivot and the positions of the center of the field.
Raphinha, in excellent way as a scorer, has completed five games, but has been replaced in games against Bayern, Red Star and Dortmund.
His flexibility has been evident since he has played in several positions, including the left midfielder, the right midfielder and even as a central midfielder, ending the last two games in his most familiar role.
Lewandowski, one of the best scorers in Europe, has had less minutes in the field, with a clear emphasis on handling his physical condition for the final stages of the competition.
His shortest appearance was against Atalanta, where he played only 69 minutes. This strategy has been part of the Flick plan to give the star striker an adequate break while maintaining the team’s attack force.