FC Barcelona has been getting highly favorable results since Hansi Flick took over the charge of the team. The German coach has been able to instill his specific style of play in the team in these last few months, and the club is already reaping the benefits of his appointment.
The playing style that Flick has imposed in this Blaugrana team is starkly different than that of Xavi Hernandez, as several commentators have argued. However, it is not only the playing style that is making Flick stand out in comparison with his predecessor, as he also has a very marked management style.
As SPORT has noted, one of the most prominent aspects of this management style is the emphasis on the team as a collective, rather than the pursuit of individual glory for some players, irrespective of how big they are.
Flick has shown his emphasis on the betterment of the team with his words as well as with his actions. In almost every presser, the German highlights his emphasis on the team. Similarly, he has also downplayed the role of the individuals in several instances.
For instance, when asked about Lamine Yamal’s displeasure at his substation in the match against Young Boys, the German was clear: “We can’t depend on whether a player wants to play or not.”
Flick is not averse to praising the players who stand out in a match. However, whenever he praises one of his players, he makes sure other good performers are recognized in the same way and thus ensures that there are no favorites in the squad.
His emphasis on equal treatment of all his players was quite clear from his recent treatment of Jules Kounde. The Frenchman has been one of the most important players for Flick, but the German was swift in punishing him for not attending several team talks on time.
Similarly, his hand has also not trembled whenever he believes that stars like Yamal or Lewandowski need to be subbed out of a match. There is no doubt that these methods will instill a greater group feeling in the squad, and hopefully, this approach will continue to bestow sporting benefits on the team.
