​TA Exclusive: Flick Publicly Criticized Barcelona Players; Players Responded by Questioning High-Line Tactics

February 14 – In an exclusive report from The Athletic's Barcelona team correspondents, the atmosphere at Barcelona's training ground was tense on Friday as players and head coach Hansi Flick openly exchanged criticism following their 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Atlético Madrid the previous night.

According to several sources familiar with the situation, during an unscheduled conversation, the German coach harshly criticized the players' attitude and intensity, particularly during the first half of Thursday's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

Players then informed the head coach of their concerns regarding the team's tactical setup, suggesting that his demand to persist with their usual approach – characterized by high pressing and a high defensive line – was not the best option, as they believed the circumstances of the match were not suited to it.

Sources say the players chose to voice their opinions in this manner because this situation has occurred multiple times this season.

Last November, Barcelona almost completely lost control of a Champions League group stage match, eventually scraping a 3-3 draw against Club Brugge. A month ago, they suffered a 4-1 thrashing away to Sevilla in La Liga, a mirror image of their capitulation at the Metropolitano last night.

Sources indicate that several players within the squad believe the defeat to Atlético highlighted the difficulty Flick faces in successfully implementing his system in the absence of Pedri and Raphinha – both sidelined with hamstring injuries – who are crucial to the system's success.

Atlético, meanwhile, arrived perfectly prepared to nullify Barça's approach. Diego Simeone's team executed their plan to stifle Barça's attack expertly, with clever late runs and dummy runs from their forwards (including offside movements) helping them score with ease. By half-time, Atlético led 4-0.

Sources say the primary message players wanted to convey to Flick was not to abandon a system that has generally been very effective – a system that delivered a domestic treble last season.

Instead, they are calling for a more pragmatic approach in key matches and against specific opponents, with greater adjustments made based on the available personnel.

In the 2024-25 season, Barcelona were eliminated by Internazionale in the Champions League semi-finals, with the tie finishing 7-6 on aggregate to the Italian side.

This season, Barcelona have advanced to the Champions League Round of 16, where they will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Monaco. They have not won the competition since 2015.

Barcelona's next match is an away trip to Girona on Monday. They currently hold a one-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table. Sources indicate the club plans further meetings over the weekend to prepare for the fixture, including a video analysis session studying the Atlético match footage.

Source: The Athletic