Preseason has given Barcelona a clearer look at one of their most intriguing young options, and Xavi Espart is suddenly closer to the first team picture than he was a few weeks ago. Hansi Flick has used the build-up to the 2026/2027 season to move the La Masia graduate into midfield, and after a set of encouraging minutes there, Espart now looks like a genuine candidate to start Sunday night’s season opener against Elche.
That shift matters because Espart’s path to the senior side had already begun in an entirely different role. He made his Barcelona debut in defense during the 2025/2026 season, then went on to make six appearances for Flick as Barcelona retained the La Liga title. Now, though, the preseason experiment has changed the conversation. Espart has been used solely in midfield, and his performances against Basel and Al Ahly suggest this is more than a temporary reshuffle.
Why the midfield move makes sense
Barcelona’s reasoning is fairly easy to understand. With Eric Garcia looking like a lock at right back, the club has another positional battle developing on the outside, including the presence of Jules Kounde. Moving Espart into midfield gives Flick a way to test a different part of the squad without forcing him into that rivalry too soon. It also helps Barcelona examine whether a Class of 2007 graduate can contribute in a role that demands more control, more scanning and more responsibility between the lines.
The timing is significant too. Barcelona started their campaign later than most sides, with Real Madrid the only real exception, because so many players were away at the World Cup. That meant preseason had added importance. For a team trying to settle selection questions before the opener, Espart’s role change is not just a developmental note. It is part of the practical work of building a team for the new season.
What Espart could mean on opening night
The most interesting question now is not whether Espart belongs in the conversation, but who he could start alongside against Elche. The facts point to possibility rather than certainty, which is exactly why this feels worth watching. Barcelona are clearly exploring whether he can function in midfield at a level that makes him usable from the start, and the fact that he has impressed there in preseason makes the idea increasingly plausible.
That does not mean Barcelona are suddenly redefining him as a finished product. It does mean Flick appears to value his adaptability, and that matters in a squad where roles can shift quickly. Espart has already shown he can be used in defense. Now he is showing he may offer something more useful in midfield, where Barcelona can evaluate whether his energy and discipline fit alongside more established players.
For Barcelona, the bigger story is not simply that a young player has had a good preseason. It is that the club may be giving meaningful minutes to someone from the Class of 2007 at the exact moment the season begins. If Espart is selected against Elche, it would be another small but telling sign that Flick is willing to trust development when the evidence supports it. That is often how these cycles start: not with a grand announcement, but with a player who keeps looking ready when the team is finally forced to make a decision.
