It’s only pre-season and it’s only been two games (three if you consider Olot) but it’s difficult not to get excited about what Hansi Flick is building at FC Barcelona. The German coach has set his team to play an exciting brand of football.
Generally, when a new manager comes in, it usually takes some time before his philosophies start getting reflected on the pitch. However, it already looks like the Barcelona players have bought into Flick’s methods.
As per SPORT, Flick is leading a slow revolution at Barcelona which is exactly what Joan Laporta expected of him when he was appointed. The first example would be the drastic shift in the situation of Pablo Torre.
Until a few weeks ago, it looked like the Cantabrian had no future at the club. Yet, Flick has given him his preferred #10 role and the 21-year-old has taken the opportunity with both hands. He scored goals against both Olot and Man City and had an influential performance against Los Blancos. Suddenly, the future looks bright for him in a Blaugrana jersey.
The next example that the report highlights is the decision to bring in the star of the pre-season so far – Pau Victor. Having lost Marc Guiu to Chelsea, Barcelona moved quickly to secure the services of the Girona striker. The 22-year-old has been incredible in his first games for the club since his return, scoring a goal against Man City and following it up with a brace against Real Madrid.
Lastly, the most fascinating decision of Flick’s Barca so far was his decision to not prioritize a defensive midfielder this summer and even let Oriol Romeu leave the club.
Instead, the German coach has placed immense trust in Marc Bernal and Marc Casado in a double-pivot system. The La Masia-bred midfielders haven’t put a foot wrong so far, further evidencing Flick’s ability to spot talent.
There have also been other instances like choosing to use Alex Valle on the right and encouraging him to use his outside-of-the-boot crosses against Real Madrid. There has also been an emphasis on physical dominance and pressing. Flick was visibly disappointed with his team’s failure to press for the entirety of the game against Real Madrid.
Such pre-season signs point to the small revolution that Flick is building at Barca. It’s still early days but as they say, first impressions last a long time. The German coach has made an amazing first impression and let’s hope this small revolution turns out into a full-blown success story.
