In the wake of Barcelona’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Las Palmas, a loss that extended their winless run in LaLiga to three matches, head coach Hansi Flick offered a candid assessment of his team’s current woes. The German tactician, who took over the Catalan giants this season, believes a concerning “disconnect” between the team’s defensive and attacking units is at the root of their recent struggles.
“I believe in the players,” Flick asserted in his post-match press conference, “We have a good team. Matches like today, it happens. But when I started here, I said to the players ‘no excuses.’ We have to keep going as a team.”
A Fractured Unit
Flick’s comments underscore a growing concern that Barcelona, despite their wealth of individual talent, are not functioning as a cohesive unit. The coach elaborated on this point, emphasizing the importance of the team’s defensive and offensive components working in harmony.
“When you play as a team, or better than as a team, and everyone defends well, including in the offense, and is well connected, we can play and win against every team. But if it’s not, if some players are disconnected, then it’s not good and we have to speak about that.”
– Hansi Flick, Barcelona Head Coach
This “disconnect” was particularly evident in the build-up to Las Palmas’ second goal, scored by Fábio Silva. While Raphinha had managed to pull one back for Barcelona earlier, poor defensive organization allowed Las Palmas to restore their lead. Flick, however, was quick to frame this as a collective issue rather than the fault of any one unit.
A Team-Wide Problem
“When you see how the Las Palmas goals are [scored], we make some mistakes, but it was not only the last four, it started also in front,” Flick explained. “And we have to speak about that.”
This slump in form threatens to derail what had been a promising start to the season for Barcelona. After winning 11 of their opening 12 LaLiga fixtures, the Blaugrana have now gone three matches without a victory, allowing rivals Real Madrid to close the gap at the top of the table.
Confidence Remains High
Despite these setbacks, Flick insists that morale within the squad remains high as they head into a challenging run of fixtures that includes away trips to Mallorca, Real Betis, and Borussia Dortmund.
“The players believe in how they can play football, how strong they can be. I say it again, we need connection and today it was not [there].”
– Hansi Flick, Barcelona Head Coach
Flick also lamented his team’s lack of efficiency in front of goal, despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances. “We can do it. We have the quality. Today we have 70% possession and 27 shots. I missed that [efficiency] in front of goal to score the goals.”
Injury Updates and Looking Ahead
In terms of personnel, Flick confirmed that Dani Olmo’s absence from the bench was due to a knock, but the Spaniard is expected to return for Tuesday’s crucial clash with Mallorca. Marc Casadó will also be available after serving a suspension, while young phenom Lamine Yamal could be in line for a start after making his return from an ankle injury as a substitute against Las Palmas.
As Barcelona look to get their season back on track, Flick’s ability to mend the “disconnect” within his squad will be put to the test. With the LaLiga title race heating up and crucial Champions League fixtures on the horizon, the Catalan club can ill afford to let their current slump persist.
The coming weeks will be a true test of Barcelona’s resilience and unity under Flick’s leadership. If they can rediscover the cohesion and form that characterized their early-season success, the Blaugrana have the talent to compete on all fronts. However, if the “disconnect” persists, their once-promising campaign could quickly unravel.
For now, Barcelona fans will be hoping that Flick’s frank assessment and unwavering belief in his players will be the catalyst for a swift and emphatic turnaround. As the saying goes, the true measure of a team is how they respond to adversity. For Barcelona, that response could well define their season.
