Samuel Umtiti has entered the final stages of recovery from injury, with this weekend's match against A Coruña, the French centre-back having become the first choice for a right-back position.
The team is already struggling with the ensuing injuries and his return will give the club some solace. Thanks to Luis Enrique's banishment of former Sevilla wing Vidal on the one hand, and the injury of Besergi Roberto on the other, Barca's technical team will have to explore more b-options at right-back.
Barca sporting director Robert Fernandez brings a new idea to the Rossandre: to have Umtiti on the right flank of the defence. "Umtiti can play any of the four defenders and we have other options in the centre-back position. Umtiti is young and we feel that this plan is feasible. Umtiti, who has been playing at centre-back on the left, has never experienced such a challenge before.
As for Luis Enrique, he has always been a bold coach, and this is not the first time he has had left-footed players on the right. In a Game of Barça B against Grammanet in March 2010, the Asturians, then head coach of Barca B, put Mark Muñezza, the left-footed player who now plays for Stoke City, at right-back, and the team won the game 2-1. He also put Muñeza in the right-wing centre-back in several games, one of which they beat Sawadle 3-2.
Against Lacco on Saturday, Muneza's story will be repeated in Umtiti, and if Vidal never gets Henrique's trust, Umtiti's cameos will be commonplace.
（mario）