Frenkie de Jong has recovered from the knee injury he suffered at the World Cup and returned to action, reopening an internal debate over his future at Barcelona.
According to Sport, De Jong enjoys the trust of coach Hansi Flick. Inside the club, though, many believe the bet should be placed on the academy products.
The injury, and the way De Jong's case was handled, caused discontent at Barcelona. It opened a major rift in the relationship with the Dutch midfielder.
Things have since calmed down, yet his return has reignited the debate over his new circumstances. Flick admires him enormously. At the same time, he raises certain doubts.
A major dilemma hangs over the role De Jong will play going forward. The final decision rests with Flick, who did not at all like what happened last August and who also has other solutions on the pitch.
De Jong's injury came as a surprise. It became one of the factors that pushed Barcelona to complete the signing of Rodri when the opportunity arose.
Barcelona saw a chance to land the best holding midfielder in the world, and their stance was clear, taking advantage of the fact that no return date had been set for the Dutchman.
De Jong arrived injured from his stint with the Netherlands. He preferred not to undergo surgery and chose conservative treatment, which ended successfully, though he could not play his first match until late October.
Tension ran high in the relationship with De Jong. It ended with him temporarily stripped of the captain's armband, which went to Raphinha.
The bond between the two parties went through major upheavals at that stage. De Jong himself asked to face the club's media to explain his point of view and insist his relationship with Hansi Flick was excellent.
But the way the player risked his knee simply was not accepted at Barcelona, and the club made that clear to him during a difficult August.
Flick handled the matter gradually. Last Sunday, he decided to grant the Dutchman some minutes in the big match against Real Madrid.
The German coach was always clear that he would do whatever he deemed right from a sporting standpoint to help Barcelona. He also felt De Jong's strength in midfield could help the Catalans beat Los Blancos in the closing stages.
Deployed in a more advanced position, De Jong eventually dropped deep towards midfield to receive the ball, where he feels more comfortable in his natural role. In recent weeks, Flick even tried him at centre-back in training, given the growing absences in the back line.
That looked like a clear sign the coach might lean on the Dutchman to plug gaps in a role completely different from the one he played last season. His appearance in the Clasico raised fresh doubts.
Inside Barcelona, there is a firm conviction that Pedri and Rodri should be the main pairing in midfield, and that rotation priority should go to the academy products such as Marc Bernal and Gavi, Bernal above all.
Bernal is a clear bet for the board, who want to give him minutes even at the Dutchman's expense. The final word rests with Flick, who will decide over the coming weeks whether or not to hand De Jong a new chance.
What happens over the next two months will shape De Jong's future enormously. Get only a handful of minutes and any scenario becomes possible. Hand him a key role and an important status again, and his situation starts from scratch, as if nothing had happened.
Many inside Barcelona would not view a potential exit negatively. A large number of officials could accept that scenario, both on sporting and economic grounds.
Whether the player himself is ready to accept the idea and listen to offers is another matter entirely.
For that to happen, he must first be convinced his chances at Barcelona will be limited. And Flick will be the decisive factor in everything that ultimately matters.