Hansi Flick leaves to the break of selections with doubts, especially annoyed with his Barcelona, either due to excess egos or by soccer shortage. In September, before its players were scattered around the world, Barça tied in front of the ray in Vallecas. Something did not work in Madrid and the coach believed to have the answer: “The Egos kill success,” he released, still hot in the press room of the Rayo field, after Raphinha rode in anger because Lamine Yamal had swollen the penalty, also irritated with, as explained by sources from the sports area, the little (or null) attitude of Dani Olmo to press. “Last year we played and worked as a team. I have talked about today with the players because most leave with the teams. And it had to be said,” Flick added.
The players who were present in the Vallecas wardrobe that Flick’s anger in the lightning field had been “brutal.” Stronger, even, the one that released them this Sunday, a defeat that forced the past to review: Barça did not lose three goals in the league since September 2015, also 4-1 against Celta in Balaídos. “This is different,” the Barca coach started to try to explain the difficulties of Barcelona in Vallecas compared to Seville. “Today [por este domingo]”, He continued,“ it is a matter of football and scoring goals; If the brands, you win. Today we have not done it. The result is not good, but you have to have a high head and continue. ”
If at the time in Vallecas those indicated were the strikers, in Sánchez Pizjuán they were the defenses, replaced in the halftime. And it was not for the penalty of the Uruguayan central to Isaac Romero who ended in the goal of Alexis Sánchez, but because it seems that he does not end up engaging in the style of Hansi Flick. In fact, the last campaign the leader of the Barca Defense was Iñigo Martínez, today in the Al-Nassr.
An exit that Flick did not carry or be good. “I am not happy to leave, he is a great player, he has a tremendous personality and never asks for anything. He followed our philosophy and was one of the team’s leaders,” he revealed, last summer, the Barcelona coach. “If Iñigo had been younger and more fundamental for the club’s project, we could have tried to convince him, but spoke with the Mr. and told him that he had a spectacular opportunity,” said Deco.
It turned out that Iñigo was fundamental for Flick. Until now, in the eight League games, the coach tested with four different couples: Araujo-Cubarsí, Eric García-Cubarsí, Araujo-Cristensen and Eric García-Cristensen. None, however, could forget what last year formed Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez. “Iñigo improved Pau. In addition, I was more comfortable because I didn’t have to play from Central left -handed,” says one of Barcelona’s midfielders. From the surroundings of Cubarsí, on the other hand, they do not buy that theory: “The best game that Pau made, when he won the MVP of the game against Naples in Champions, did so playing on the left. The defense problem is not Pau or the absence of Iñigo.”
Barcelona has conceded in the season an average of 1.2 goals per game. A fact traced last season. And in the auctions received, this campaign is better: 8.72 by 8.2. However, from Sevilla he received 13 shots for the 16 that stamped the PSG in the Champions League. “These occasions are already starting from front, we have to start pressing like last season. This cannot be. It is a game and it is not necessary to make firewood of the fallen tree, but it also has to be a turning point,” said Cubarsí, after the defeat in the field of Sevilla.
The reality, for Cubarsí, is that Araujo is not responsible. An opinion that shares, in private, another of the Barca defenders: “Ronald was touched yesterday. He feels responsible for something that is not to blame. It is a problem of how we are organized.” They understand in the Barca rear that the first problem is how defensive work originates from the lead. Rashford does not press as Raphinha or Olmo prints the rhythm of Gavi or Fermín. The problems, always according to the same sources, are worse when Lewandowski plays: still lethal in the area, now harmless in the collective game.
“If we don’t press well, you can’t play with the defense line so up,” complains the same defender. Flick’s response is still waiting, just like a new solution for when the teams catch the out of the offside. In the sports direction they are clear: “Sometimes, you have to throw the line back. Wars do not win the brave but the intelligent.”
The defense of Barcelona condemns her attack, a problem now that Joan García is in the infirmary. A new break, a new problem for Hansi Flick.
