'He has solutions' - Dani Olmo reveals how Hansi Flick and Barcelona will cope without talismanic No.9

Barcelona enter the new campaign facing a significant void following the departure of Robert Lewandowski, a striker whose historical impact is virtually irreplaceable. However, Olmo believes that Flick has already devised a strategy to ensure the team remains a potent force in La Liga and the Champions League. By focusing on fluidity and collective movement rather than a static reference point, the German coach is looking to modernize the Blaugrana attack. Olmo insists that while the personnel has changed, the ambition remains as high as ever for the Catalan giants.

"There’s no one like Robert in history," Olmo told The Guardian. "But we’re playing with Raphinha at No 9. Gabriel Jesus has come. Hamza [Abdelkarim] is doing really well. The manager knows he also has that wildcard of putting me or Fermin [López] there, which is a position I feel comfortable in. So he has solutions. The club has done an incredible job. Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Karim [Adeyemi], [Anthony] Gordon give us so much."

A major cornerstone of Flick's new-look Barcelona is the arrival of Rodri from Manchester City. The Spanish midfield general is seen as the natural successor to Sergio Busquets, providing the structural integrity needed to allow creative players like Olmo to roam freely. The tactical shift involves a high defensive line and intense pressing, a system that Olmo admits carries risks but is essential for competing at the highest level of European football.

"Rodri is the player who is most like Busquets," Olmo explained. "He fits perfectly in our play, our system, our idea, which is similar to the seleccion. He’s positional, brings balance, which will give me more freedom to interpret where the spaces are. He sustains the structure. We know the system is risky at times but we have the experience and knowledge to judge when to go and when not to, when to cover our backs."

For Olmo and the current generation, the Champions League remains the ultimate frontier, with the club having failed to lift the trophy since 2015. The midfielder acknowledges that past exits against teams like Inter and Atletico Madrid were painful but served as vital learning experiences for a squad that is finally maturing. Flick has instilled a mindset of minimizing risk through concentration and physical exertion, demanding that every player contributes to the defensive phase regardless of their attacking duties. This disciplined approach is what Olmo believes was missing in previous seasons.

"The Champions League is decided by small details that haven’t gone our way but the last two years were experiences for the future. We were a young team. Still are. In my opinion, Barcelona have the best academy in the world; [Marc] Bernal, Lamine [Yamal] and now Xavi Espart. Pedri is still young and he’s been at the highest level for six, seven years. We have that experience now," he stated.

The triumph in New Jersey, where Spain defeated Argentina to become world champions, has fundamentally altered the psychology of the Barcelona squad. With eight World Cup winners in the ranks, there is a renewed sense of self-belief that Flick is eager to exploit. Olmo described the transition from international glory back to club duties as a seamless process, driven by the manager's immediate demand for more silverware.

"It changes you, changes your life," Olmo said regarding the World Cup victory. "I’m not sure we grasp it still. You realise when you’re [applauded] at other grounds, but we’ll truly realise with time. It’s like you’ve entered another dimension, a very select group," he concluded.