The draw against Celta has left open wounds in Hansi Flick‘s relationship with his players.
The German coach admitted that he didn’t like what he saw at Balaídos. Not only during Celta’s ten minutes of hell, but during the entire match.
He missed the intensity in pressure, the teamwork throughout the game and the tactical cohesion in which everyone defends and everyone attacks.
Flick Uses Lamine Yamal as an Example
By the end of the game he was very angry. He expressed it in the locker room in front of his stunned players.
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Flick used Lamine Yamal to embarrass his players for what happened in Vigo. And he reminded them of the statistics. In 14 games, Lamine has started 11 of them: 11 wins.
Lamine has missed three games: defeat in Pamplona, defeat in Anoeta and draw in Vigo.
That is to say, Barça wins with Lamine Yamal and loses or draws without its young academy star.
The Question from Flick that Exposes His Players
Flick asked his players directly: “Do you think it’s normal that we have to depend on a 17-year-old? Can’t we win without him?”
Flick tried to touch the sensitive nerves of his players and hurt their pride. The German coach is aware of the importance of Lamine Yamal in his team, but he tries to prevent the group from falling into dependence.
There was another fact that didn’t go unnoticed by Flick, and for which he also criticized his players. The game in Vigo was the fourth consecutive game in which the defense failed to keep a clean sheet.
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The Defensive Factor
This time, Iñaki Peña cannot be blamed for the two goals conceded. Peña has not only put an end to the nerves of the first matches. Against Celta, he saved three clear goals from the Vigo team.
Flick doesn’t blame the defense, but rather the collective game. In his Barça, the defense starts with Lewandowski in the same way that the offense starts with Iñaki Peña himself.
In Vigo, Flick didn’t recognize Barça as his team.
