El Clasico Shakeup: Markus Sorg Takes Barcelona's Bench

El Clasico Shakeup: Markus Sorg Takes Barcelona's Bench

In the highly anticipated Clasico, Barcelona will have a rare moment on the bench as Markus Sorg steps in to lead the team in place of suspended head coach Hans Flick.

Sorg, who serves as an assistant coach at Barcelona, comes with a relatively new footprint in the Spanish scene but a long and varied coaching résumé from German football, making him one of the most notable minds in recent years.

According to AS, Markus Sorg, born December 24, 1965, has worked as an assistant for the Germany national team in more than a hundred official matches, serving under Joachim Löw in 71 games, under Hans Flick in 25, and under Horst Hrubesch in six. He even led the side temporarily during Löw's health-related absence, becoming a trusted figure at the German Football Association after three years as Germany's Under-19 coach.

His work with young players has been central to his career; he once led Bayern Munich's youth teams, a role that highlighted his precision and attention to detail.

Fellow Bayern star Leon Goretzka praised him, saying he is very precise and that players value learning something new at every session thanks to his tactical prowess.

Sorg has vast experience handling big-name players; he guided Germany to the 2014 European Under-19 Championship, heading a generation that included Joshua Kimmich and Julian Brandt.

Other coaching stints included Stuttgart Kickers, Ditzingen, Heidenheim and Ulm, before becoming one of German football's top assistants.

With Flick absent from the Clasico by decision of the Spanish federation, Sorg will lead Barcelona from the touchline in a stern test against Real Madrid, offering a rare chance to prove his abilities on the global stage.

In Bayern, Leon Goretzka praised Sorg as a meticulous coach who pays attention to every detail; players value that because it makes every training session feel like learning something new.

Sorg's calm and enigmatic demeanor, along with his experience with both young and veteran players, stands out and could help Barcelona navigate a challenging weekend.

Although he has worked as a manager, his most visible work has often come as an assistant and talent scout, a background that enhances his understanding of younger players and future stars.

During the press conference ahead of the match, Sorg, speaking in place of the suspended manager, touched on the players' condition, the magnitude of the clash, and the impact of his compatriot's absence, while also addressing refereeing and the behavior of some opponents' stars such as Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé.

On the match, Sorg said, "It's an honor to be on the bench on Sunday; it's a special moment. We expect a very tough game and must show our strengths, such as high pressing."

Regarding Rafinha and Ferran Torres, he added, "Every team would love to have Rafinha, but he's injured. We'll see if Ferran starts on Sunday."

On Flick's absence: "When Flick isn't around we miss him a lot; he is the team's most important figure. It's like missing one of the players; we must give 100% and handle the situation the best we can."

On Lamine Yamal: "He is a top-class player, and tomorrow's match will be a big incentive for him. We hope to see him at his best tomorrow."

On Jules Conde: "Conde trained well; we will assess his status after the last training session, and if he's ready he will play. We have a clear plan for the game."

On refereeing: "We must focus on the match; we all make mistakes. We should focus on our display and not on things we cannot control."

Tactics and lineup: "It's good to play with the same lineup, but with injuries and a packed schedule we must rotate sometimes. We can't field the same names in 60 games."

On Real Madrid: "They make excellent attacking transitions; the biggest challenge is dealing with their front line, because everyone there presses hard."

On the Bernabéu atmosphere and officiating: "In the Bernabéu you never know what can happen; emotions run high. We are prepared for all possibilities, avoid losing the ball, press well, play as a unit and keep possession; if we do that, we can win."

On watching Vinícius: "We discussed the behavior of the opposing forwards as we always do; the players are ready to deal with Vinícius and Mbappé."

On possession: "We analyzed games and if we lose the ball we must learn from it; we worked to find solutions and ensure the ball isn't lost easily."

Punchline time: If Sorg pulls this off, it’ll be Barca’s most precise bench move since the invention of the snack break. Punchline two: his calm is so legendary that even the ball takes a deep breath before rolling toward him.