"He was not done anything wrong" - Hansi Flick comments on Barcelona star amid Chelsea interest

Hansi Flick has backed Chelsea-linked Marc Casado, who has played a full 90 minutes only once since Barcelona's Supercopa de Espana triumph over Real Madrid on January 12. The 21-year-old midfielder was a crucial part of Hansi Flick's team in the first half of the 2024-25 season.

Due to his performance for La Blaugrana, Casado was also called up to the Spanish National team last year, where he made two appearances for La Roja.

However, Casado has fallen in the pecking order, especially after his error during Barcelona's 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid last month. Flick has prioritized Frenkie de Jong over Casado in La Blaugrana's recent matches, and the 21-year-old is being linked to a move to Chelsea in the summer.

Nevertheless, the Barcelona boss has claimed Casado hasn't done anything wrong. The German manager stated that the 21-year-old has suffered a decrease in-game time because Frenkie de Jong has been performing well. He said (via Metro):

"No, he has not done anything wrong. I am also speaking with him. At the moment it is like that because Frenkie (de Jong) is doing really well, he is producing a good level in ball possession and key moments. This is what we need and at the moment it's like this. Frankie starts, but Casa is also doing well."

Flick added:

"It's not a case of; when one plays, it is something against the other. Everyone has their job. We are one team, and everyone plays, they have to play well, it's a normal thing."

According to Cadena SER, Chelsea are expected to join other European clubs again in the race to sign Marc Casado in the summer. They were interested in signing the 21-year-old last summer, but he signed a new deal with Barcelona. His contract with the La Liga giants will expire in the summer of 2028, and his release clause is worth €100 million.

Barcelona handed boost in race to sign Bundesliga defender: Reports

Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund has reportedly confirmed that the Bavarians are out of the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah in the summer transfer window.

The German defender has been linked with Barcelona, but according to multiple reports, Bayern were also interested in signing him. However, Freund has stated that the Bundesliga giants are happy with their defense. He told ransport (via Barca Blaugranes):

"That is not an issue for us at the moment. You can see that our defense is doing well at the moment. We are conceding few goals. That is why we are very, very happy."

Jonathan Tah's contract with Bayer will expire this summer and La Blaugrana are likely to sign him on a free transfer. If Tah joins Barcelona, Eric Garcia or Andreas Christensen can potentially leave the La Liga giants.