Report: Clasico defeat sparks tension at Barcelona
A report by AS said Barcelona’s 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid had negative repercussions for coach Hansi Flick, after he tied preparations for the Paris Saint-Germain match to the Clasico. The report said Barcelona lost its tactical balance, while Flick attributed the defeat to the players not being physically ready.
A report by AS said Barcelona’s 1-2 defeat to Real Madrid had negative repercussions for coach Hansi Flick, after he tied preparations for the Paris Saint-Germain match to the Clasico. The report said Barcelona lost its tactical balance, while Flick attributed the defeat to the players not being physically ready.
In the following days, the team held a group meal to strengthen the bonds between its members, and the board issued a statement expressing its full confidence in the team and coaching staff. Flick also opened the door to signing a player in January, after the matter had been put off since the summer. Lamine Yamal was criticised for travelling to London alone on Sunday evening, on a trip separate from the club’s official journey the following day, and Barcelona’s supporters’ section in the stands was temporarily closed.
The report said criticism of Flick had resurfaced over his difficulty in managing players in complicated situations, recalling the second legs against Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid. It said the coach’s performance in the latest match was puzzling, despite his having overcome previous crises with Barcelona, and that developments during the week, including internal discussions and the group meal, resembled what had accompanied those crises; the repercussions of the dispute attributed to José Mourinho’s influence remain unclear.