After two defeats, Flick turns to unity at Barcelona

After two successive defeats, Hansi Flick is looking to open a new chapter with Barcelona’s players through an approach that goes beyond tactical work. Barcelona stopped to reflect and shape a collective plan after losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and then to Real Madrid in La Liga.

Barcelona’s first defeat of the season against Paris Saint-Germain came at the Parc des Princes, by a 4-2 scoreline. The team then lost the Clásico against Real Madrid at Camp Nou, 2-1. Kooora presents the two results as the starting point for the club’s reflection.

Against that backdrop, a gathering involving Flick, the players and the full coaching staff took on significance beyond a simple social occasion, according to the Catalan press. It took place at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper after a photo session for a promotional event. Barcelona sought to reconnect and strengthen ties within the group ahead of the challenges to come.

Cohesion is also central to the expectations attributed to Flick. The three matches before the international break share a common aim: to restore the team’s best level and the unity shown during its first 11 victories. Tactical adjustments remain a separate task, with injuries having affected the defence in particular.

The Catalan press also reported that the team barbecue lasted around an hour and a half, and noted that bonds can be built through informal conversations away from cameras. A source within the club summed up the intended mindset: “It is not about erasing what happened, but accepting it together.”

Flick has often stressed the value of unity, repeatedly saying that “the dressing room is a family”. That idea applies both to starters and to players whose role is more focused on support. He now has the task of rebuilding a group dealing with numerous injuries, particularly in defence.

The challenge, then, is not only to correct the play after the defeats: Barcelona also want to recover the cohesion that, in the account of this period, accompanied their first 11 wins. For Flick, collective work and conversations within the group are part of the response alongside the tactical adjustments required.