Barça’s resilience test: Deco backs Flick as Camp Nou edges closer to a revival
7 November 2025
Deco defends Flick amid Barca slump
Deco, the Portuguese-born sporting director of Barcelona, publicly backed German coach Hansi Flick as the club endures a rough patch in form and results at the start of the season.
Speaking to the press on Friday, on the eve of Barca's return to Camp Nou after more than two years of renovations, Deco described a training session ahead of Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Celta Vigo.
He stressed that arguing about Flicks playing style is unhelpful, noting that the team faced difficulties last season and still managed to overcome them and achieve meaningful successes.
When asked about the team's level after a 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League, Deco was clear that Flicks approach would not be altered despite defensive vulnerabilities.
There is no point in debating the way we play, Deco said, adding that the squad knows where to improve and has regained fitness and form through unity and hard work.
That is what we did last season, and we will do it again this season, he added, stressing that nothing changes without sustained effort.
The awaited return to Camp Nou
Deco described Camp Nou as an amazing stadium that the club truly misses, insisting that returning there soon would be a meaningful step forward.
He emphasized that playing at Camp Nou feels different; the atmosphere and memories are special, and the club hopes to resume hosting matches there as renovations progress.
He noted that the current squad includes more than eight players who have not previously featured at Camp Nou, with several La Masia graduates stepping up to the first team.
That is the essence of Barcelona, he added: president Laporta pursues this project, and players are eager to test themselves on the home stage.
After about 894 days of closure, Camp Nou is set to reopen partially to host a first-team training session in front of around 22,000 spectators, a symbolic moment on the road back to full capacity.
The plan is to open the east and west stands first for 45,000 capacity, with the northern sections following in December once licenses are secured.
This training session will also serve as a first test for Flick and the club's emerging stars, some of whom have never played at the stadium, including several academy talents.
Flick has overseen 75 Barca matches, with 54 wins, 9 draws and 12 defeats, but a worrying stat is that the team conceded three or more goals in ten games, a trend in big matches that raises concerns.
Those defensive lapses have appeared in high-profile ties such as a 5-4 win over Benfica in the Champions League, a 4-4 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal, and a 3-3 then 4-3 sequence against Inter Milan, exposing flaws: disorganization, lack of pressure, and poor positioning.
Debate over tactics aside, Deco stressed that the goal is to bring the club back to its best through unity and hard work, a steady process that fans hope will bear fruit this season.
PUNCHLINES: Barca’s defense is so porous you could water your plants through it. If football were a cooking show, Barca would be serving a recipe where the spice rack is half empty — yet somehow the dish still aims for glory.
