Hansi Flick has called out an underperforming Barcelona player, voicing his irritation with the star’s dip in standards.
Amid a packed schedule of league fixtures, Copa del Rey clashes, and Champions League progression, the German coach demands higher standards from every position as presidential elections and summer transfer plotting intensify focus on squad harmony.
Flick’s pointed critique highlights the fine margins separating success from complacency in his high-pressure system.
The underperforming star is Marc Casadó, the 22-year-old midfielder struggling to justify his place behind Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Eric García in the pecking order this season.
Diario Sport reports Flick’s decision to start Casadó against Real Oviedo in January and Mallorca recently as a deliberate show of faith, rejecting a potential winter exit despite Manchester United and Atletico Madrid interest.
Yet Casadó’s displays fall short of expectations, prompting questions over his long-term role even as injuries to Gavi, de Jong, and Pedri elevate his minutes alongside Marc Bernal’s return.
Flick values Casadó as reliable squad depth, unafraid to deploy him when starters falter, but his below-par performances—lacking dynamism and control—frustrate the coach’s vision.
Barcelona retained the academy product over a Girona loan, betting on development within Flick’s tactical demands, but whispers of a summer sale persist to fund targets like Julián Álvarez or Nico Schlotterbeck amid Lewandowski’s exit and Koundé’s potential departure.
Casadó’s situation mirrors broader youth integration challenges at Camp Nou, where La Masia gems like Lamine Yamal thrive while others stall.
Flick’s patience signals belief in redemption, but sustained improvement is non-negotiable as Barcelona juggles elections under interim president Rafael Yuste post-Laporta’s resignation.
The midfielder’s response could secure his future or hasten an exit, embodying Flick’s unforgiving standards.
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