Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said that he would 'have to talk to the players' after he had pulled his side with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening and gave two goals in the first six minutes and two goals in the last ten minutes. However, the message is clear: Barcelona will not step.
After the game, Inigo Martinez noticed that his side had to be smarter with the ball and made fewer mistakes, while Pedri noted that “if we can't press, then we have to take the line a little”. Flick himself was frustrated by the defense in the final phase and noted that the equalizer of Alexander Sorloth seemed 'incredible to me'. On Thursday it was reported that one of the players who started in Flick's bad books was Frenkie de Jong, whom he asked to be stronger in defending.
Much of the debate in the aftermath was around Flick's approach, and whether Barcelona might not have been better to play a little more conservative and to hang on their lead in the final phase. However, that is not how Flick saw the issue, according to the sport. The German manager will double his ideas and is not going to fall deeper and the admission territory.
He is also aware that one of the weaknesses of his system and Barcelona is currently the full-back area. Alejandro Bald has improved a lot, especially in his decision -making, but Flick has noticed that opponents often try to step behind Jules Kounde, and one of the tasks on his task list is to strengthen that area.
The high line, however, is non-negotiable, and the Catalan daily notes that this also applies to Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez. Despite the return to Fitness from Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Ronald Arajo, they remain the preferred options for the central defense for the rest of the season. For them, De Jong and Dani Olmo are also in his ideal XI and believes that Barcelona has taken a step forward with the Dutchman -nominous. Flick has his ideal starting line-up and is not the intention to change between now and the rest of the season.
Comments