Barcelona player settles his future after being frozen out by Flick
Brian Fariñas is the only outfield member of Barcelona's first-team squad yet to play a single minute this season, even though he's been fully available to Hansi Flick.
Frenkie de Jong hasn't featured either, but his absence comes down to the injury he picked up during the 2026 World Cup.
According to Sport, Fariñas came close to joining Girona last summer before Flick stepped in and blocked the move. His situation isn't an easy one, despite being registered in La Liga with the number 4 shirt.
The programme "Barça Reservat" reports that Fariñas is taking it all with calm and patience, treating the year as a chance to learn alongside the best players on the planet, not least his close friend Lamine Yamal.
For now, he isn't weighing up a loan move in the winter window. Even so, the next two months will prove decisive.
Flick speaks to his young player constantly, handing out instructions and correcting his mistakes to help him improve.
The German coach keeps pushing him to work exactly as he does now, so he's ready to grab his chance when it finally comes.
Injuries have already started to bite over the last two matches. Eric García, Jules Koundé and Dani Olmo joined an absentee list that already featured Ronny Bardji and Andreas Christensen.
With his options shrinking, Flick will naturally have to lean more and more on his substitutes when picking his line-ups.
In midfield, Olmo's physical problems could open the door for players who've not yet enjoyed a prominent role.
Fermín López is a key man in the playmaker position, but he can't play every match until the November international break, so Flick has several ways to rest him.
Pedri, Frenkie de Jong or Marc Bernal could all push further forward. Lamine Yamal could shift into the centre, and Raphinha might even operate as an advanced playmaker.
Gavi, though, is the player most likely to profit from Olmo's absence. Fariñas could also pick up some minutes in the holding or advanced midfield role off the back of these successive changes, even if he comes at the very bottom of the pecking order.
Either way, the season is still long and the Copa del Rey hasn't even begun, so Fariñas will get his chance eventually.
Sport explained in mid-September that, alongside his sporting situation, the youngster has edged close to extending his current deal at Barcelona, which runs until 2028.
A few final details remain for the two parties to settle. Fariñas will pocket a salary that matches his new status in the first team, and his release clause, currently set at 15 million euros, will rise too.
