Hansi Flick has made a decisive move regarding the Barcelona squad following their underwhelming start to the season.
Barcelona’s start to the new La Liga season has stirred as much debate off the pitch as it has drama on it.
With seven out of nine points earned from trips to challenging venues like Mallorca, Levante, and Rayo Vallecano, the numbers suggest a moderately solid opening to the campaign.
Yet, anyone watching the matches would agree that something feels off—the team simply hasn’t looked its commanding self.
Instead of celebrating their haul, concerns have arisen over their lack of dominance and how frequently they flirted with dropping points in each game.
The main development during the current international break is coach Hansi Flick’s stern directive: he has called for every Barcelona player to deeply introspect about their recent performances and attitude on the pitch.
According to Diario Sport, Flick has been left frustrated by what he perceives as a lack of “heart, sweat, and desire” compared to last season’s standards.
The international break gives Flick a crucial window—not just to dissect tactical errors and defensive vulnerabilities, but also to challenge his squad to reconnect with the passion and commitment required at the top level.
Flick’s pointed concern is not just collective, but also personal—three players, in particular, have drawn scrutiny.
English forward Marcus Rashford is still acclimatizing to the rigors of Spanish football and has struggled to find form so far.
Defender Jules Kounde’s performances, meanwhile, have dropped markedly from last year, prompting Flick to make restoring his confidence and output a priority.
The third focus is Fermin Lopez, who was recently at the center of exit rumors; Flick wants to stabilize Lopez’s mindset and is even contemplating a starting role for him moving forward, potentially ahead of Dani Olmo.
As the break rolls on, all eyes are on Flick’s methods and the squad’s response.
Whether these efforts result in Barcelona’s return to their dominant best will only be clear when La Liga resumes—but for now, introspection is the order of the day at Camp Nou.
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