Can Hansi flick stop things from falling apart at Barcelona? A monumental challenge awaits the reigning champions in December

Does former Bayern Munich and Germany tactician Hansi Flick have what it takes to salvage the season for FC Barcelona?

Can Hansi flick stop things from falling apart at Barcelona? A monumental challenge awaits the reigning champions in December

Can Hansi Flick help Barcelona live out the wave of pressure as two wins will see RMA go ahead? (via Open Source)

Barcelona haven’t had the best of months as several losses in November ‘ruined’ a brilliant start to the season for Hansi Flick‘s side. Despite pulling away from rivals Real Madrid in La Liga, the defending champions have now let the Los Blancos come within reach of the top spot.

Their slip up remained so significant that Real Madrid can go two points clear of Barca by winning the two games in hand. Losses against the likes of Real Sociedad and Las Palmas, coupled with a regrettable draw against Celta Vigo have altered the trajectory of Barca’s season significantly.

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After resounding victories against Real Madrid in La Liga and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Barcelona held a nine-point lead in Spain and was higher up the table in Europe. Now, fortunes have changed somewhat. What happened to the Catalan club?

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Has the risk vs. reward factor run out?

Hansi Flick‘s Barcelona plays a dangerous game in defense, with an extremely high line to catch out opposition with an offside trap. The unlikely pairing of Pau Cubarsi (17) and Inigo Martinez (33) have only let in 17 goals in the League.

Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez
Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez conceded just one goal in the 5-1 win over Mallorca (Via GOAL & The New York Times)

Their chemistry and defensive prowess were highlighted effortlessly as they caught out Kylian Mbappe a record eight times. So far, the chances and score lines have been in Barca’s favor on most of the occasions. However, it was no secret that their opponents have created several chances.

As of late, luck hasn’t been on the Blaugrana’s side, with controversial VAR decisions and narrow offside calls not coming in their favor.

Can’t Barcelona make do without Lamine Yamal?

17-year-old Lamine Yamal has remained a blessing for the Spanish giant. Moreover, it is uncanny that a teenager should be relied upon so heavily to deliver results. The Spaniard was out with a muscle injury for the past few games.

Lamine Yamal and Barcelona manager Hansi Flick
Lamine Yamal and Barcelona manager Hansi Flick (via GOAL)

Surprisingly, the club is yet to win a single game without him in the League, dropping points in all four of those that he missed. The teenager has five goals and eight assists in 14 outings under Flick in La Liga. The player also failed to inspire a win in his first game back from injury in the 2-1 loss to Las Palmas.

A win, at last!

After a spell of unfavorable results, Barcelona has finally managed to pull off a win in La Liga. The win suprised many due to number of goals. The game against Mallorca at Camp de futbol Son Moix ended 5-1 in favor of the visitors, with goals from Ferran Torres, Pau Victor, Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha.

The win means that Barcelona now has 37 points from 16 games, with a four-point lead over Real for now. Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 12th minute when an unlikely error by opposition defenders put the ball on a plate for the forward inside the penalty area.

Raphinha
Raphinha now has 11 goals and six assists in 19 Premier League (Via X/@FCBarcelona)

He then came close to doubling the lead for his side from an Alejandro Balde pass, while Yamal also skewed his shot wide. Barcelona’s offside trap finally came undone in the 43rd minute when a smart play in midfield set up Vedat Muriqi for an easy tap-in.

Lamine Yamal won a penalty in the second half, which Raphinha emphatically converted into the bottom right corner. From then on, it was one-way traffic for the visitors, as a spectacular Lamine Yamal trivela assist helped Raphinha claim his double.

A similar assist attempt culminated in Frenkie de Jong being set up with a tap-in. With minutes to go, De Jong then assisted Pau Victor for the fifth and final goal of the game.

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A busy transfer window

With Frenkie de Jong being surplus to requirements at FC Barcelona, the club has begun to consider offloading him. The move might come at an extremely low price. After signing the 27-year-old from Ajax back in 2019, the club is now willing to let him go for a sum as low as €20 million.

The club was pushing towards a contract extension for the player ahead of his injury that saw him lose seven months of 2024.  Besides the Dutchman, Barcelona is zeroing in on Bundesliga star Omar Marmoush.

Hansi Flick and Barcelona have decisions to make
Hansi Flick and Barcelona have decisions to make (Via X)

The Eintracht Frankfurt star has a total of 17 goals and 11 assists from 19 games this season in all competitions. While Robert Lewandowski continues to march on with spectacular form, the club has already decided to bring in potential replacements.

While 22-year-old Ansu Fati nears his return from injury, links of a move to Sevilla have begun. Even though a January loan move for the forward is unlikely, it can materialize if Barcelona agrees to pay part of his wages.

Even though Jamal Musiala also remains on Barca’s radar, the German’s first priority is to extend his contract with Bayern Munich. As things stand, Hansi Flick and Barcelona have to dig out wins in the upcoming games against Real Betis and then Leganes to avoid further collapse.