After a 4-1 drubbing of Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the words that come out of the mouth of Hansi Flick are gospel in Barcelona. The German manager could not have wished for a better start to life at the club, and his victory over Bayern is considered to be his first major triumph under him.
Flick sent his side to play an incredibly high line against Bayern, which defied the belief of many, but it turned out well, with Barcelona stealing the ball and breaking through the German defense to great effect. Ace for SportFlick held a 45-minute long chat with his players before the game, where he outlined his tactical plans for the match.
Pedri: “The coach makes us believe that we can compete at the highest level, he gives us many things.”
— Barcacentre (@barcacentre) October 23, 2024
In addition to these stipulations, he also told his players that they should forget the previous results against Bayern Munich, and that they should not be afraid of the physicality of their opponents. Instead he asked him to focus on his talent with the ball, which he believed would lead him to victory. His communication skills are highlighted as one of his strengths, despite the language barrier, and the recurring phrase is that he has the path “in his pocket”.
During the match, he told his players not to blink after Bayern equalized, and to keep the defensive line and the pressure high. He also called on them to keep the ball longer, advice that Pedri and Marc Casado took on board.
At half-time, Flick insisted his team continued to look for more goals, and remained alert with the high line. He also had special advice for Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde, which Arnau Blanco, one of his coaches, translated for him.
Now Flick will have to come up with another plan for Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior will certainly be intrigued by a top line like the one Bayern faced, but most would have predicted Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise to have more joy against him. As has been the case throughout the season with Barcelona, entertainment is guaranteed.