Analysis: Did Hansi Flick get it right in Barcelona’s victory over Atlético Madrid?
The article argues that Hansi Flick got his tactics and Barcelona’s starting lineup wrong against Atlético Madrid, despite his team winning away. It says the match gave Flick a chance to show he had learned from previous difficult encounters with Diego Simeone’s side, with defensive options limited.
The writer criticises the selection of João Cancelo and Brian Farinias as the full-backs, noting that the latter is an academy midfielder, and questions the decision to favour Marc Bernal over Frenkie de Jong as a replacement for Rodri. In the writer’s assessment, Atlético dominated the first half, but Julián Álvarez’s missed clear chance and Fermín López’s equaliser just before the break changed the course of the match.
The article considers Frenkie de Jong’s introduction at half-time a good decision, but questions why he was played at full-back instead of Farinias. It also says Alejandro Balde’s omission from the starting lineup raises questions, and that he would have been a more suitable choice than Cancelo in a match requiring physical strength and defensive ability.
The writer praises Fermín López’s impact, but concludes that Flick got the starting decisions wrong and that his management of the substitutions was only partly right. The article argues that Barcelona need to show progress from last season to compete with Europe’s top sides, while leaving open the question of whether they can do so.