Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie has had a curious first campaign at Camp Nou. After arriving on a free from Milan, he was never expected to be a regular starter, but has gone from bit-part player to a crucial weapon, before once again returning to the bench.
After Pedri picked up an injury, and Xavi Hernandez chose to rotate and rest players, Kessie went on a run of starts in February and early March, notably in the Europa League against Manchester United and in the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid. He would cause the winner at the Santiago Bernabeu in the cup, before grabbing the winner off the bench against Los Blancos in La Liga at the end of March.
However, as Relevo point out, the Ivorian international has now started 8 of the last 10 matches on the bench, with the return to fitness of Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets and Pedri playing a crucial role.
The Madrid-based outlet point out that he was starting to show his best self in a Barcelona shirt, but has returned to be habitual substitute in April. Even so, it is not surprising that he is once again on the bench, with Barcelona’s strongest team becoming available again.
They point out that Inter are keeping a close eye on his situation, just as Barcelona might be considering a sale. Ultimately, Kessie has shown that he can be a useful player in certain circumstances, but his contribution across the season has been far from impressive, bearing in mind he has often been starved of chances.