Welcome to the latest edition of Inside Barcelona, our weekly series to follow throughout La Liga’s 2025-26 season.
Every week, we will bring you key information and analysis on the biggest talking points, cutting through the noisy world of all things Barca with reporting you can trust.
The information contained in this article reflects multiple conversations with various sources at the Spanish champions, all of whom wanted to speak anonymously to protect relationships.
What’s the biggest talking point at Barcelona right now?
Lamine Yamal scoring possibly his best goal in a Barcelona shirt. The 18-year-old Spain star topped off their convincing win against Real Oviedo with a fine bicycle kick from a Dani Olmo cross.
For UK viewers…
YAMAL MAGIC! ✨
Incredible technique to score Barcelona’s third in a 3-0 win over Real Oviedo 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fWEnPpG2i0
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 25, 2026
For U.S. viewers…
LAMINE YAMAL OUT OF THIS WORLD! pic.twitter.com/K80gS6orV1
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 25, 2026
Barca did not need to be at their best to secure a 3-0 win. Oviedo’s physicality made it difficult for them to get going at first at the Camp Nou, but Hansi Flick’s side raised the bar after the break.
Yamal was key in Olmo’s opener as well, pressing high in Oviedo’s box and providing the pass for his international team-mate to slot home.
“For me, the most important thing (from Yamal) was in the first goal,” Flick told his post-match press conference. “How he pressed, recovered the ball and then we scored the opener. For us, this was the key to unlock the game and get the three points. It was definitely more important than the third goal to me.”
Raphinha scored the second after another defensive mistake from Oviedo before Yamal’s wondergoal. The teenager is reaching his best form at a crucial stage of the season, much to Flick’s delight.
“Everyone in football will surely see the goal Yamal scored,” the German said. “He could have even played better in the first half, but that was because of the team’s performance. We were not good enough. Then, in the second half, he made the right actions at the right moment for us.”
Flick seems to be trying to manage and measure the praise he gives Yamal in his appearances before the media — making sure the focus stays on the team’s performances.
That is probably for the best, but it will not stop his Oviedo goal being stuck in the minds of every Barcelona fan from now on. Now, attention turns back to the Champions League.
(Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images)
How did Barcelona cope without Pedri?
The most damaging news for Barcelona last week was Pedri being ruled out for a month with a hamstring injury.
Flick rotated his squad against Oviedo, which was probably a wise choice given their opponents were bottom of La Liga and Barca face a key final game in the Champions League league phase against Copenhagen on Wednesday. Marc Casado was Pedri’s replacement, starting next to Frenkie de Jong in midfield — the first time he had been in a La Liga XI since November.
It was not Casado’s most impressive performance, but it was enough. Flick will have plenty of time to try out new solutions in Pedri’s absence, given the Spain midfielder is not coming back anytime soon.
Pedri’s injury happened in their Champions League win against Slavia Prague, with the 23-year-old covering his face in disbelief and leaving the coaching staff fearing he had suffered a significant setback. But Barca were pleased to see the issue was not as bad as they feared after tests and scans the following day.
Even so, Pedri could still miss at least the next seven games across all competitions. He may be the most irreplaceable player in Flick’s squad, as a press-resistant midfielder who is influential in Barca’s chance creation, but also in winning possession.
Pedri is irreplaceable for Barcelona (Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The most natural replacement for Pedri at present seems to be Olmo, with Flick using him alongside De Jong as an emergency solution earlier this season. The manager was hugely impressed by the duo after their display against Celta Vigo in November.
Olmo offers creativity and an attack-minded option in midfield, but Flick will almost certainly rotate between a few players for fitness purposes. Eric Garcia and Marc Bernal could be other choices beyond Casado, but Garcia is now mostly used at centre-back, while Bernal is still building his way to full fitness after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury at the start of this campaign.
On Wednesday, with De Jong suspended in the Champions League, Garcia and Olmo could be Flick’s midfield partnership.
What else did we learn from Sunday’s match?
That Flick wants Casado to stay at Barca. There had been noise over the past few weeks about the La Masia graduate’s lack of gametime this season, with Garcia and Bernal ahead of him in the pecking order.
Those close to the 22-year-old midfielder admitted he was not happy with the opportunities he was being given and did not dismiss the possibility of a potential departure in future transfer windows. But right now, Flick cannot afford any further player exits.
Selecting Casado as a starter against Oviedo was a way of telling the two-cap Spain international he is very much in his plans. Flick knows that Barca are not able to make any further signings, due to the club continuing to operate above their La Liga-imposed salary limit.
Marc Casado started his first La Liga game since November against Real Oviedo (Pedro Salado/Getty Images)
“For me, we have no choice regarding someone leaving the club,” Flick said on Sunday. “We need everyone. I can say Casado is an absolute professional, he gives everything in training, and today he deserved to start. He worked well in the match and I appreciate what I saw from him.”
Meanwhile, Joao Cancelo started for the first time since re-joining the club on loan this month, playing at left-back. The Portugal international was not bad, but still looked far from his best.
“He has just arrived to the team, but I’ve seen his quality in training,” Flick said. “He still has to adapt to our style, how we want to play. Our pressing is very intense. We work on that and he still can improve.”
What should we look out for this week?
Pedro Fernandez, better known as Dro, is expected to be announced as a Paris Saint-Germain player.
The French champions and Champions League holders have reached an agreement with Barca over his permanent transfer. But interestingly, PSG have not triggered the €6million ($7m; £5m) release clause in the 18-year-old attacking midfielder’s contract.
They have instead negotiated a deal, according to sources close to the negotiations, because release clauses in Spain are adjusted for inflation. In return, Barca will receive a higher fee, expected to be around €8m. Fernandez is expected to be the final January exit for Barca.
On the pitch, the Catalans will focus on their Champions League game against Copenhagen. They need a win against the Danish side, ideally with a lot of goals for goal-difference purposes, to finish in the league phase’s top eight and avoid the additional play-off round next month.
Last week’s win in Prague, combined with other results across the competition, left Barca in a strong position. PSG and Newcastle, who are both in the top eight, face each other in the final game, which will open a window for Barca to take advantage and potentially secure their place among that group.