Dani Olmo ignites Barcelona revival with Hansi Flick's masterplan

However, the attacking midfielder has bounced back emphatically in recent weeks, showcasing the dazzling form that made him a standout at former clubs. His latest performance against Real Sociedad underlined this resurgence, proving that a carefully crafted strategy from manager Hansi Flick and his coaching staff has unlocked the 26-year-old's immense potential.

The Spain international has started consecutive matches for Barcelona, lining up from the first whistle in their Copa del Rey showdown with Atletico Madrid and their La Liga victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Against Real Sociedad, Olmo earned man-of-the-match honours after a scintillating 71-minute display. He provided two assists, setting up Gerard Martin and Marc Casado while completing 35 of 38 passes with precision. His composure on the ball, sharp dribbling, and clever movement tore through the opposition, even forcing a red card for Aritz Elustondo, who cynically halted his goal-bound surge. It was a performance reminiscent of his peak days at RB Leipzig and his fleeting early promise at Barcelona before setbacks struck.

This revival is no fluke. Flick and his team have engineered Olmo's renaissance through a bespoke fitness and training plan. A few weeks ago, the club conducted an exhaustive physical evaluation of Olmo, scrutinising metrics like body composition and muscle health. The results, though within normal limits, informed a tailored regime of workouts, rest, and nutrition designed to sharpen his edge and keep injuries at bay - a persistent thorn in his season so far.

Barcelona have leaned on this data-driven approach before, notably with Pedri Gonzalez, whose own turnaround came after a similar programme revealed his need for regular game time over sporadic appearances.

Olmo's numbers this term reflect his growing influence. Across 24 appearances in all competitions, 12 as a starter, he has notched seven goals and five assists. That includes 16 La Liga outings, four in the Champions League, three in the Copa del Rey, and one in the Spanish Super Cup. Yet, with just four consecutive starts at most, consistency has been elusive until now. Flick's blueprint, mirroring Pedri's successful model, seems to have cracked the code.

Barcelona are now set to expand these in-depth assessments across their squad, encouraged by the breakthroughs with Olmo and Pedri. Unlike Pedri's analysis, which took place in Baltimore, the club can now handle these evaluations in Spain, streamlining the process. The early returns are glowing, and Barcelona hope this scientific edge will shield their stars from the relentless grind of the campaign.

A recent update from Barcelona's official X account hailed Olmo's Real Sociedad masterclass, with Flick himself praising the midfielder's "intelligence and quality" in a post-match interview.

For Olmo, the focus now shifts to staying fit. If Flick's plan holds firm, Barcelona fans might be witnessing the rise of their next game-changer.

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