Hansi Flick has a big call to make before Barcelona's eagerly awaited trip to Atletico Madrid. Rodri is out, and that leaves the German coach weighing up who partners Pedri in midfield. Three names are in the frame, each bringing something different.
Barcelona visit the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the twelfth round of La Liga fixtures. It's a game that demands a fine balance between controlling the ball and standing up to the physical strength of the hosts.
According to Spanish newspaper "AS", Marc Bernal is the leading candidate to replace Rodri. He started the season as a regular before Rodri regained his fitness, and Flick turned to him against Paris Saint-Germain two weeks ago, resting the national team captain with the Clasico in mind.
Bernal holds fond memories of Atletico. He produced one of his best games in a Barcelona shirt last season during the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final at the Camp Nou, scoring twice from set pieces to spark an attempt at a historic comeback that fell short.
Even so, Flick overlooked him for the Clasico, preferring the Dutchman Frenkie de Jong, who is gradually rediscovering his level and fitness.
De Jong is a serious rival for the spot alongside Pedri. He started against Alaves and had to settle for minutes against Aston Villa. After his 300th appearance for Barcelona, he insisted he felt in good physical shape and stressed that he is a midfielder, despite being used as a central defender against Alaves.
The report suggests the Dutch star is Flick's preferred option for the pivotal midfield role alongside Pedri in a 4-2-3-1, thanks to his experience and his ability to dictate the tempo.
Then there is the third candidate, Gavi. His chances look slimmer given his reduced minutes in recent matches, but he brings qualities that could sway Flick: his knack for winning the ball, his pressing, and his appetite for a physical battle.
Gavi has shone against Atletico before. He was outstanding at the Wanda Metropolitano in the second leg of last season's Champions League quarter-final, striking up a successful partnership with Pedri.
The pair understand each other instinctively. They formed the first-choice midfield duo that helped clinch the Clasico that sealed the title against Real Madrid. Gavi's presence also hands the team greater bite in the press and the ability to shackle Atletico's midfielders, Barrios chief among them.
So Flick is left with three contrasting options: Bernal's dynamism, de Jong's experience and Gavi's ferocity. His choice will shape Barcelona's midfield in one of the sternest tests of the season. Games against Atletico are rarely settled by possession alone. They demand strength, fight and tactical discipline too.