Despite joining FC Barcelona on a permanent basis from Girona just this past summer, striker Pau Victor is no stranger to the Blaugrana first-team environment. Last season, he was called up by Xavi Hernandez on multiple occasions while playing for Barcelona Atletic, gaining valuable exposure to the senior squad.
This background puts Pau Victor in a good position to share insights on the shifts within the team since Xavi Hernandez’s departure and Hansi Flick’s appointment as Barcelona’s new head coach.
The 22-year-old striker appeared in an interview recently, and, as SPORT has reported, he revealed the strict rules that Flick has adopted for the team. Talking about the German tactician’s emphasis on punctuality, the Spaniard said:
“He’s very strict about punctuality. If he says 11:00 on the field, at 11:00 and 3 seconds, you’re already late.”
Victor has not yet faced any punishment, but he further explained regarding the fines: “The team delegate tells you what you have to pay.”
The Spanish striker also named the player who has had the most problems with this strict punctuality, i.e., Jules Kounde. The Frenchman has already been punished by Hansi Flick for being late for a team talk by getting benched for a La Liga game.
The former Girona youngster also compared the training methods of Hansi Flick and the previous coach, Xavi Hernandez:
“Hansi gave us a very tough pre-season, whereas Xavi Hernández was more focused on tactics. Hansi does a bit of everything.”
Another Barcelona player, Pedri, has already shared the extent of the fines that Barcelona players faced during the Xavi era. These interviews provide interesting insights into their daily routines and life at the Catalan club, and the Blaugrana faithful are eager to hear more details about the team’s routines, especially as they continue to perform at a very high level.