Despite still leading, Barcelona’s dynamics are not good, with 1 point out of the last six possible, and to change it Hansi Flick decided to break routines that he himself had established in these first four months of competition. Until now he avoided addressing the players right after the games and waited 24 hours to cool down his analysis. But in Balaídos his blood was boiling for having missed two points. And he sought an immediate reaction from his players with a very visceral talk in the locker room of the Celta stadium.
Gavi, incumbent more than 365 days later, attended the media. After finishing the interview he had to return to the locker room because the German coach was going to gather the team to send a message. This time Flick wanted it to be hot, he wanted it to be just after 2-2, he wanted it to be different so that the speech would sink in, so that the Blaugrana would get to know a new side of their coach.
A different Flick
Until now he waited 24 hours for his analysis to cool down, but after 2-2 he wanted his message to be hot so that it would sink in.
A close, affectionate, demanding but understanding technician – this is how he had shown himself – he taught that he can also raise his voice when he gets really angry.
Flick’s goal was to make the team see that the slip was important because, in his opinion, it denotes a dangerous trend. What bothered him the most is that Barcelona had declared the game won ahead of time. It is something that he repeated in the press room, once he had already said it to their faces. And beyond the expulsion of Marc Casadó or the significant but specific error by Koundé, Barça did not play well, trusting too much in their punch.
Relaxation detected
In the last four games, Barcelona has relaxed and has not scored a goal after the 76th minute
In football it is easy to get on the cloud. The defeats of Bayern (4-1) and Real Madrid (0-4) in one week were spectacular but they cannot make the team forget their obligations and insist on what brought them to that level. In those games, the Blaugrana were very forceful in attack but also very serious in their pressure and focused on the defensive line. On the other hand, against Celta they conceded too much, just like against Real Sociedad. “It’s not worth playing at 80 or 85%. “We won’t win like this,” he made it clear to his disciples in the locker room.
Relaxation and lack of concentration are not new. It happened in the derby, for example, in which Barça took a break after going 3-0 up before half-time. And, to a lesser extent, after taking an early lead in Belgrade. In the last four games he has not scored a goal after the 76th minute when the ambition to go for more has been one of the characteristics of his game.
Does not install in opposite field
It costs Barcelona a lot to be dominant if they don’t have Lamine Yamal stretching and threatening on the right wing
Despite being a footballer of just 17 years old, it is incredibly difficult for Barcelona to be dominant if they do not have Lamine Yamal stretching and threatening on the right wing. They are unable to win without the youth winger, who was a substitute at El Sadar (4-2 for Osasuna), did not wear short at Anoeta (1-0) and did not even travel to Balaídos (2-2 ).
In Vigo Dani Olmo was disciplined opening on the left and Raphinha was very decisive, clearly winning his duel with Mingueza in both Barcelona goals. But in the entire match, Barça only touched the ball 18 times in the Celta area.
Lots of difference
The great numbers of Raphinha and Lewandowski (13 and 20 goals, respectively) contrast with the level of some substitutes
He generated little and, furthermore, he never had the game under control even though he was winning 0-2 on the scoreboard. Celta had a lot of danger, with up to 15 shots (10 of them from inside the area) and the six stops made by Iñaki Peña.
Beyond the vulnerability of playing with numerical inferiority starting in the 82nd minute, Flick placed emphasis on those unforced errors and the losses of possession that facilitated the opponent’s counterattacks. “It was a bad game, the whole game,” he insisted, partly because there is a difference between the starters – great numbers from Raphinha and Lewandowski (13 and 20 goals, respectively) – and the less common ones. The gifts are over, Flick is confident of returning to the right path tomorrow against Brest in the Champions League.
#Hansi #Flicks #anger
