According to a report by Barca Universal on Wednesday October 28, 2026, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick could consider changing his team’s formation following the return of Frenkie de Jong from injury.

The Dutch midfielder made his first appearance of the season during Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Sunday’s El Clasico, coming on for Fermin Lopez in the 74th minute.

According to reports, De Jong’s return could provide Flick with a solution to Barcelona’s recent midfield problems, which were exposed during defeats against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Catalans have struggled to maintain control against opponents who press aggressively and mark their midfielders individually, making it difficult for them to build attacks from the back.

De Jong could help address those problems with his ability to retain possession, carry the ball through pressure and link up play between defence and attack.

Despite playing in an advanced midfield role against Real Madrid, the 29-year-old looked comfortable during his brief appearance. He completed 17 of his 19 passes and registered 22 touches.

Speaking after the match, De Jong said: “It feels a little different, but I’m a midfielder and it was good to play in midfield. It was good to get my first minutes.”

His return could allow Flick to move away from his usual 4-2-3-1 formation and adopt a more traditional 4-3-3 system, with Rodri operating as the defensive midfielder and Pedri and De Jong playing ahead of him.

Such an arrangement could give Barcelona greater control in midfield and make them less vulnerable when opponents attempt to disrupt their build-up play.

Under the current system, Fermin Lopez or Dani Olmo often operates behind the striker, leaving Barcelona with fewer players in midfield when both the attacking midfielder and forwards push forward.

However, a switch to a midfield trio could require Flick to sacrifice some of the attacking threat provided by Fermin or Olmo.

Competition for places also remains intense, with Gavi and Marc Bernal hoping to secure more playing time as they compete for midfield positions.

De Jong’s return therefore gives Flick another option as Barcelona look to improve their performances in important matches. Whether the German manager adopts the 4-3-3 formation regularly or uses it selectively remains to be seen.