SaintX

Gerard Martín really said you can take me out of my natural position, but you can never take the left-back out of me. 😭🔥 Primarily a left-back who transitioned into a centre-back, owned the position and made it his own. But tonight, when he had to move back to LB, bro didn't need any time to remember his roots. Started as a CB, finished as a LB and was moving like Jordi Alba all over again. Man never forgot where he came from. The LB was still inside him all along. 😂👏

Fun fact: it is 4 and 5 not 5 and 6 Nigerians mix up the numbers and positioning... Europeans says the No6 is the DM while the 4&5 are CBs Alot of people especially Calabar people don't know this and they argue blindly

That being said, moving forward, my preferred midfield combinations would be either Frenkie – Pedri – Rodri, Frenkie – Pedri – Olmo/Fermín, or Rodri – Olmo – Fermín. The first option gives you the best of both worlds: Frenkie and Pedri's natural chemistry, with Rodri providing the defensive security, positional discipline and balance behind them. The second gives Frenkie and Pedri the freedom to dictate games together, with Olmo or Fermín adding creativity, movement, attacking runs and that extra threat between the lines. As for Rodri – Olmo – Fermín, I actually like this combination too. Olmo can occupy a role similar to the one Fabián Ruiz plays for Spain. He can drop deeper to help with build-up, connect the midfield, dictate combinations and then make those intelligent forward movements into attacking areas. Meanwhile, Fermín offers the energy, pressing, late runs into the box and direct attacking threat. Rodri holds the structure, Olmo connects the different phases of play, and Fermín provides the aggression and penetration. For me, the important thing is not forcing all three midfielders into one fixed combination. It's understanding what each partnership offers and choosing the right balance depending on the opponent. FC Barcelona has too much midfield quality to be predictable with their selections.

Even Odogwu had to obey the instructions for a second. 😭😭 Imagine being the African Giant and still getting robbed of your composure by King Manny. These guys are never serious! 😂🦍

I honestly think Pedri plays better alongside Frenkie de Jong than he does alongside Rodri. Not because Rodri isn't world-class, but because the chemistry between Frenkie and Pedri is on another level. The understanding is almost natural. Frenkie gets on the ball, does what he does best by carrying, progressing and controlling the tempo, then finds Pedri. And Pedri does the same in return. They complement each other so well, constantly offering passing options and keeping the game flowing through the middle. With Rodri, it's a slightly different dynamic. He's more likely to switch play or spread the ball towards the wings rather than consistently combine with Pedri to dominate and control the midfield centrally. That's not a weakness; it's simply a different approach to controlling a game. And this is partly why I believe De la Fuente has sometimes opted to leave Pedri on the bench for Spain and give Rodri the freedom to operate as both a 6 and an 8. Rodri brings a different kind of control, physical presence, positional discipline and authority to that midfield. Both are exceptional midfielders, and Rodri deserves every bit of respect he gets. But when it comes to midfield chemistry, combinations and understanding, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri just bring the best out of each other.