Pedri and Dani Olmo, a duo that fights against the ‘staffetta’

The center of the field is big enough for both of them. Contrary to what happened in the westerns, with those duels at sunset, Pedri and Dani Olmo want to demonstrate against Denmark that they are compatible in the lineups of Luis de la Fuente’s national team.

Spain, already qualified for the quarterfinals of the Nations League, is missing one point at the Parken in Copenhagen to secure first place and play the second leg of that tie at home (March 20-25). There is no better place than Denmark to bring together the most creative footballers. This is what happened on October 13, 2007, although that day it was played in Aarhus.

Guardiola had not yet arrived on the bench of the Barça first team and at the Camp Nou voices were prevailing that pontificated that Xavi and Iniesta could not play together as an interior player. But that day, on the way to Euro 2008, Luis Aragonés decided to give them and Cesc the handle. The result, 1-3 with beautiful touch football, put an end to all suspicions. Later, David Silva was added to the equation to win in Vienna and open the team’s most brilliant cycle.

With Flick, they have 276 minutes together, in which Barça has scored 13 goals and has not conceded any

Pedri and Olmo are looking for something similar. In the summer, the Canarian midfielder, 21, and the Terrassa playmaker, 25, looked a bit like Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera, captains of Inter and Milan and stars of Italy in the 1970 World Cup. Their coach did not know He dared to put them together and established the staffetta, a change to give half a share to each one. When Rivera entered the final, Brazil was already winning 4-1.

In three games at the European Championship in Germany, Olmo entered the field, replacing Pedri in the midfield, who had to retire injured in the quarterfinals. Rodri and Fabián were fixed in the pivot and did not play together in that tournament but Spain won.

With De la Fuente they did start in the six duels at the Tokyo Games to win the silver. But in the 25 games of the Rioja coach with the senior team, they have only coincided – they have suffered several injuries – for six minutes in the Serbia-Spain (0-0).

With De la Fuente, they started all six games at the Tokyo Games, where they won silver.

It turns out that now Pedri and Olmo are teammates at Barcelona but they are not direct competition. Hansi Flick is showing that the two talents can play together… and very well.

The three heights in the center of the field that Barça uses with the German facilitates cohabitation. They have totaled 276 minutes together for the Blaugrana in 7 games (three – Valladolid, Girona and Espanyol – as starters). The best news is that, far from being neutralized, the offensive flow is multiplying. With the two of them on the pitch, Barcelona has celebrated 13 goals and has not conceded any. A couple that is ready to see the light and also shine with the selection.