Just a few months ago, it would be impossible even to conceive that FC Barcelona would let go of Hansi Flick. The ex-Bayern Munich coach turned the club’s fortunes around with a team filled with youngsters, taking them on an incredible ride with what seemed to be some great football. Honestly, it seems pretty impossible even now,
Bayern Munich even had the opportunity to sign Flick again which remarkably, the board passed on. So when Flick beat Bayern 4-1 and followed it up by beating Real Madrid 4-0, the Bayern fanbase began to realize the magnitude of their ‘error.’
Well…not the entire fanbase.
Suddenly we’re clowning our board for passing on Flick? I’ll sign an apology form if these same sentiments exist by February
— (@DasherFCB) October 27, 2024
Before the post, Barca had won all their games except for two. After the post, they lost 4 and drew 2. I was skeptical of Flick even before Barça went on a disappointing run of games that still hasn’t come to an end. And frankly, I don’t think it will any time soon. Hear me out.
Hansi Flick is arguably the best man-motivator on the planet. He unites a team like very few managers do today — it is rare to see a team with more unshakable faith in themselves than one managed by Flick. Flick’s unrivaled mastery of the often-forgotten mental aspect of the beautiful game is what sets him apart.
But the tactical aspect is where he falls short: all-out attack and intense press…you’ve all seen it before. It’s not that his tactical style is bad. The attacking mannerisms his teams display with wingers pushing inwards, fullbacks high up the pitch, and wonderful interplay between the midfield and striker create a symphony of movements on the pitch. It is what makes his style so pleasing to watch, so undeniably beautiful. But it is the lack of balance, the suicidal high line and disdain for substantial defensive mechanisms that give birth to a key weakness teams often exploit.
The most obvious flaw? His style of football is simply unsustainable. It is impossible for a team to press relentlessly, ‘Flick-style’, for 90 minutes every game, every season. It is an incredibly demanding style that most teams cannot keep up with, and leads inevitably to injuries: as we have seen with Bayern and are seeing with Barcelona. It is worse at Barça because youngsters are more susceptible to getting injured: which is why we are observing these injuries in December as opposed to February or March as in Bayern’s 20/21 season.
Another drawback of this can be seen in-game: Barça becomes far too susceptible to conceding late goals because the players simply cannot maintain their standard of play after 70 minutes of relentlessly running behind the ball. The result? Stoppage time goals led to a draw against Real Betis and a loss to Atletico Madrid.
The bigger problem, however, is Flick’s unwillingness to adapt. The reason his teams are often successful at the start of the season is due to his unorthodox attacking style. Teams are often taken aback by his approach to the game, allowing his teams to win successfully…until he gets figured out. At a certain point, Flick’s setup becomes predictable. And this is not limited to just him: every coach eventually gets ‘figured out’. The difference between other coaches and Flick is that they usually adapt. They tinker, change up details, and make tactically impactful changes. The coaches that adapt the best are the best coaches on the planet: Pep Guardiola’s system is a prime example.
Flick has rarely ever adapted. Teams figure out his style, and what’s left is the idea that Flick’s team will simply outscore the opposition regardless of how much they concede. It is impractical and foolish. It is far less likely to occur as well, because this time Flick doesn’t have a Champions League-winning team under him, but rather a bunch of La Masia graduates. And that brings us to the final point.
Hansi Flick will get sacked by FC Barcelona in 2025. There you have it, that’s my hottest take. The bottom line is that we’re seeing the cracks much earlier than we should have, and inexperienced youngsters playing every possible game coupled with an inflexible coach is a recipe for disaster. There will likely be a run of results bad enough for Flick to lose his job this year.
What do you think? Do you agree with the piece, or do you vehemently disagree? Will I be right? Tell us in the comments below.