Barcelona’s answer to a bruising week is to shut down the training ground. Hansi Flick has told his players to stay away from the Ciutat Esportiva until Wednesday, according to Sports Illustrated and Catalan reporting, convinced that fatigue, not tactics, is the real reason for a 1-2 home defeat to Real Madrid and a 4-2 Champions League loss away to Paris Saint-Germain the previous Tuesday.
Flick’s own reading of the problem was blunt.
“Today we are not fresh and this is what we have to change,” he told reporters after Sunday’s defeat, in comments carried by Sports Illustrated.
From Seville to the Palladium
Even by Barcelona’s standards it has been a strange week. The squad’s return from Seville, where they had won 3-1 at the Sanchez Pizjuan, turned into a long evening at the airport after weather over Catalonia kept the plane grounded for more than an hour and the party was sent back to a hotel for the night.
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The next detour took them to London. Lamine Yamal, Joan Garcia and Manchester City midfielder Rodri travelled to the Palladium Theatre on Monday for the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where Yamal picked up his third consecutive Kopa Trophy as the best young player in the men’s game. Defender Pau Cubarsi, also nominated, stayed in Catalonia to rest.
Injuries, not formations, worry Flick most
In the same post-match press conference, Flick pointed to the fitness picture rather than the shape of his side as his biggest concern, flagging a run of injuries that includes attacking midfielder Dani Olmo and several defenders. The La Masia pipeline has been asked to carry weight earlier than planned.
That is the context behind the days off. Flick is leaving the next move to the players themselves.
“Everyone has to make the right decision about recovery, eat well, sleep well,” he added at the same press conference.
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Three days to prepare for Alaves
The Clasico defeat also ended Barcelona’s unbeaten start in La Liga. Kylian Mbappe struck in the 41st and 87th minutes at Spotify Camp Nou, with Raphinha briefly levelling in the 61st.
Deportivo Alaves visit next, with kick-off at 9pm local time on Saturday 31 October in La Liga matchday 11 at Spotify Camp Nou. Flick will have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on the training pitch to turn the quiet days into a game plan.
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