“I’m delighted to be working at Barcelona and to live in Barcelona. It’s a fantastic job, I’m very happy… We have played a fantastic game and I am so proud,” Hansi Flick mentioned within the post-match press convention after Barcelona thrashed Actual Madrid 4-0 at Santiago Bernabeu. The sport of soccer has not witnessed many coaches who’ve such an enormous affect on the workforce in its first season on the membership that too at a time when the membership struggled within the final season, however Barcelona are fortunate that they have Hansi Flick – signing of the season.
Barcelona’s head coach Hansi Flick provides directions to his gamers throughout a Spanish La Liga match.(AP)
The German arrived at Barcelona this season after the membership sacked their legend Xavi Hernandes as supervisor, which attracted some scrutiny from President Joan Laporta. Nonetheless, the membership’s wealthy legacy attracted Flick, who was keen to hitch regardless of all its monetary issues.
The 59-year-old arrived with an enormous repute as a sex-tuple-winning supervisor at Bayern Munich, who as soon as humiliated Barcelona 8-2 within the Champions League below Flick solely. Nonetheless, the desk has turned as the 2 catalysts—Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski of the Bayern aspect—have joined the Blaugranas. This season, they lastly avenged the German giants with a 4-1 win within the Champions League.
Gone are the times when Barcelona have been inflexible about enjoying with the tiki-taka philosophy for your complete 90 minutes, as Flick introduced a contemporary perspective to their recreation by selling younger abilities from La Masia to the senior workforce. With monetary restraints, Barcelona might solely afford Dani Olmo in the summertime switch window when their opponents have been splashing cash to make some famous person signings – Actual Madrid getting Kylian Mbappe and Atletico Madrid buying Julian Alvarez.
Barcelona began the season with similar ends in their first three matches: 2-1 towards Valencia, Athletic Membership, and Rayo Vallecano. However the match towards Actual Valladolid CF noticed the Barcelona attackers on steroids, with a 7-0 win, which noticed Barcelona go all out till the ultimate minutes of the match.
They stored successful recreation after recreation, and all of a sudden, the followers began witnessing dominant points of their play, however they have been skeptical about whether or not the direct soccer and the off-side lure of Flick would work towards massive golf equipment or not. And Barcelona proved their doubters flawed once they confronted three massive golf equipment within the house of 6 days – Sevilla, Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid, the place they ended up scoring 13 objectives and conceded simply two to point out they’re so again to rule the footballing world as soon as once more.
It began with a 5-1 win over Sevilla, wherein the Barcelona children ran the present alongside an ageing Lewandowski. This 12 months, his astonishing goal-scoring stats are rolling again the years. After annihilating Sevilla, Barcelona have been searching for their revenge on Bayern, who they hadn’t overwhelmed for the previous decade, however then got here Thursday when a reinvented Raphina smashed a hat-trick to pin The Bavarians down with a 4-1 win, which additionally put an finish to Thomas Muller’s mocking the Spanish giants for now.
In the meantime, they did not cease there after which hunted down the European champions Actual Madrid at their very own den with a 4-0 win. It was a good recreation within the first half, the place each groups fought exhausting, however then Flick introduced his trump card onto their discipline initially of the second half – Frenkie de Jong as his calm presence helped Barcelona management the sport. The Catalan giants reworked their plans and appeared rejuvenated as they fully exploited Madrid’s weaknesses on the sphere. Lewandowski opened the scoring courtesy of a line-breaking cross from Marc Cassado, and it was one other ‘LewanGOALski’ night time the place he netted one other one, and this time, it was a long-range header to double up Madrid’s distress.
Lamine Yamal – the Starboy of Barcelona, confirmed Kylian Mbappe the way it’s carried out because the 17-year-old netted the third objective and hit Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Calma Calma’ celebration to point out Bernabeu they’re witnessing one thing particular.
Raphina put the ultimate nail within the coffin with a chip over Andre Lunin to make it 4-0 as Carlo Ancelotti’s males left the sphere in embarrassment after getting owned by Flick’s boys.
Barcelona have now prolonged a 6-point lead on the high of the desk in Laliga with 10 wins in 11 matches.
How has Flick modified Barcelona this season?The Off-side Lure
Jules Kounde, Inigo Martínez, Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde – this has been Barcelona’s backline this season – two La Masia children, one Spanish centerback who was set to depart the membership earlier than the beginning of the season and a French centerback who Barcelons are utilizing without any consideration again this season. Nobody thought these 4 would kind among the finest backlines in Europe, with Flick and his coaches planning the off-side lure to limit the opposition attackers.
Barcelona has drawn greater than 70 off-side traps this season, essentially the most by any workforce in Europe. That is double the 35 drawn by second-placed Brighton. The Los Blancos have been caught offside 12 occasions towards Barcelona final night time, with Mbappe getting over the road on 8 events. The Blaugranas defenders have been preserving shut eyes on the opposition’s remaining passes and making some sensible actions within the remaining seconds to maneuver forward of the ultimate opposition attacker.
Direct and Counter-attacking soccer
Flick has added a twist to the tiki-taka type of soccer and tweaked it to get the specified outcomes. There was a time when Barcelona used to make 10-plus passes for the build-up in the direction of a objective, however Flick has instructed his gamers to play it extra immediately. The midfielders get the freedom to make some direct passes, be it line-breaking on lengthy to interrupt the opposition workforce in half. Pedri and Marc Cassado have been doing it frequently to assist the entrance three get their names on scoring sheets.
The teaching workers has labored on the gamers’ health, which has helped them of their counter-attacking strikes, which has helped Barcelona rating late objectives, which was as soon as a robust pursuit of Actual Madrid. However the tables turned within the El Clasico as Madrid conceded three counter-attacking objectives, with Barcelona wanting brisker on the sphere until the final minute of the match.
The La Masia Impact
Flick has relied closely on the La Masia children to replenish each division’s massive footwear. Cassado, 21, has been a rock-solid power within the midfield as they’ve stopped lacking Sergio Busquets for now. The Spaniard, who was enjoying within the third division final 12 months, has all of a sudden turn into one of many brightest children within the La Liga. He has made essential assists in two of the largest video games for Barcelona this season – towards Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid.
Within the line of defense, Pau Cubarsi, who made his debut below Xavi, has flourished effectively below Flick, as he has at all times been able to put his physique on the road with last-ditch defending. He has additionally been among the finest passers from the again along with his line-breaking passes to chop the opposition in half.
Lamine Yamal—The world began attending to know concerning the 17-year-old Spaniard final season, however below Flick, he appeared extra mature on the sphere. Yamal’s understanding of the sport has confirmed as he has began making essential passes exterior the field, which weren’t on the factors final season, along with his want to assault extra contained in the field. The aptitude that he has introduced into the aspect has left folks evaluating him to the likes of younger Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr.
Finest Attacking Trio within the World
‘LewanGOALski’ is again to his greatest. He has netted 12 objectives in La Liga this season and 4 assists, and the return of Flick has helped the Poland star rejuvenate himself. His second objective towards Actual Madrid displayed that he’s in no temper to cease and remains to be among the finest in Europe, whereas a lot of his contemporaries have joined the Saudi and MLS golf equipment.
Raphinha reinvented himself when some Barcelona followers needed the membership to interchange him with Nico Williams. Nonetheless, the Brazilian has shut his doubters and has turn into Europe’s most in-form winger. The captain’s armband appeared good on his bicep, and he has led the workforce from the entrance with a few hat-tricks already this season, one in all which got here towards Bayern Munich.
Yamal has proven that the world’s age is only a quantity, and he is able to take over the footballing world at 17. If he continues on the similar charge in a 12 months or so, we would see him with a Ballon d’Or trophy in his hand.