Barça Under Fire, Flick’s Morning After: Fixing the Defensive Leaks
11 October 2025
Flick Moves Fast to Clean Up Barca's Defensive Slips
Barcelona is using the international window to halt a slide in form after back-to-back losses to Paris Saint-Germain (2-1) in the Champions League and Sevilla (4-1) in La Liga. Under German coach Hans Flick, the staff reviewed video recordings to identify the recurring defensive lapses and the tactical missteps that cost the team.
Mundo Deportivo reported that Flick outlined a set of persistent errors that require urgent correction, especially in defensive organization and decision-making during play.
The analysis noted that the goals against PSG came from disorganized pressing away from Jules Koundé and Pau Kobarci, creating defensive chaos. After a long-range shot by Dani Olmo, the team pressed forward, but the lines spread, giving PSG’s players, including Ashraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, space to pass and move.
Lamine Yamal hesitated between pressing Pau Kobarci or tracking Mendes, choosing a middle position that left the left-back free to orchestrate a sequence ending in a goal for the visitors.
The analysis also highlighted that Koundé’s early surge toward Mendes triggered a defensive imbalance, while Olmo and Frenkie de Jong failed to read Mendes’ threat and allowed a dangerous run that opened space for a sharp finish.
The second goal by Gonzalo Ramos arose from Kobarci’s forward run, dragging attention inward and leaving the winger open to a decisive pass. The sequence underscored how fragile Barca’s shape could become under pressure when players overcommit or misread angles.
These individual and collective mistakes dented Barca’s defensive confidence, as the Sevilla defeat showed the weakest version of the Blaugrana, prompting the staff to produce more explanatory clips before competition resumes.
Flick… a bright name in coaching
Hans Flick is widely regarded as one of the most astute German coaches of the last decade, building a reputation for disciplined defenses and flexible tactics. Born in 1965 in Heidelberg, he began as a midfielder for Bayern Munich in the 1980s, before moving through Cologne and an early retirement due to injury that pushed him toward coaching.
His coaching journey started with Viktoria Bammental, then progressed to an assistant role under Joachim Löw for the German national team from 2006 to 2014, a period that culminated in Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil.
Flick’s reputation grew as the tactical mind behind Bayern Munich’s 2019-2020 sextuple, a historic feat built on high-press, ball retention, and a flexible system that could morph midgame. He then led the German national team, a tenure marked by high expectations and a willingness to evolve his approach.
In 2024 he joined Barcelona, stepping into a project with clear appetite for European resurgence. Barça’s leadership remains convinced that his approach—aggressive pressing with careful defensive balance—can restore the club’s continental competitiveness, provided the squad buys into a method that rewards discipline as much as flair.
Flick’s view is that restoring Barça to glory is a patient process, demanding time and consistency. Yet he appears determined to imprint his signature on the club, much as he did in Munich, where a dominant, multi-dimensional team left an indelible mark on European football.
He knows returning Barcelona to the summit will require time, but he is resolved to leave a lasting mark and to transform a team long celebrated for its attacking poetry into a fortress capable of winning big trophies again.
