Hansi Flick explains Dani Olmo absence from Barcelona’s win over Athletic Club
Hansi Flick has admitted he’s unable to stop Dani Olmo from missing Barcelona games as the club scrambles to register him with La Liga following his summer transfer from RB Leipzig.
Barcelona signed the Euro 2024 winner earlier this month in a deal worth around €60m, and he was initially included in the squad for Saturday’s win over Athletic Club. However, he was left out of the matchday roster due to the club’s ongoing struggle to comply with La Liga’s strict salary cap.
Despite goals from Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski securing a 2-1 victory over Athletic, who featured Barca target Nico Williams, Olmo has now missed the first two La Liga games of the season. Flick has confessed he’s unsure when Olmo will be available for selection.
After the match, Flick said, “I have hopes, but I don’t know. I can’t control it. We have to focus on what we need, and today we wanted the three points, and we got them.”
Barcelona is aiming to offload more players before the transfer window closes to make room for Olmo. Ilkay Gundogan has already returned to Manchester City after just one season in Spain, and defender Julian Araujo has moved to England with Bournemouth.
There’s also interest in versatile defender Andreas Christensen, with Manchester United, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly monitoring the Denmark international. Fellow center-back Eric Garcia remains a target for Girona.
Meanwhile, young Brazilian Vitor Roque is expected to join Real Betis on loan after struggling to establish himself at Barcelona since his move from Athletico Paranaense in January.
