Barca - Olympiacos: The Challenges Facing Hansi Flick

21/10/2025 07:32:00 FieldFrenzy

Statistics show that Barca's present figures are almost the same as last season at this time, but Hansi Flick is actually facing more challenges than during his first months in charge of the "Blaugrana."

At times, the numbers mask some genuine difficulties for Barcelona. On his part, Flick keeps making changes during halftime.

Data That Conceals Difficulties

Looking at the figures, Hansi Flick’s second year at Barcelona seems hardly different from his first. After two months of competition, the Catalan team has played 11 official matches – 9 in La Liga and 2 in the Champions League – with 8 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. This record is nearly the same as last season: 9 wins, 0 draws, and 2 losses. The goals scored and conceded are also similar: This season Barca has scored 24 goals and conceded 10; last season, 28 goals scored and 9 conceded.

These numbers might lead many to believe the team is maintaining its form and ready to continue its quest for titles. However, the reality is much tougher. Barca’s style of play is no longer vibrant, and players admit they don’t feel fully comfortable on the pitch. Voices have started to emerge from the dressing room calling for higher intensity, greater focus, and double the effort. Pedri, even after the win against Girona, did not hesitate to remind the team that the style of play needs comprehensive improvement.

Opponents have quickly figured out how to exploit Barca’s high defensive line (Girona did this very well), and the departure of Inigo Martinez has left a gap that makes Barca less solid. Up front, efficiency has noticeably dropped: Robert Lewandowski is absent, Raphinha injured, and the midfield has limited options as Dani Olmo has returned to the medical room again due to muscle issues, while Gavi is still recovering from injury.

Challenges are mounting with a congested schedule and continuous injuries. Therefore, Flick has been forced to change the lineup during the first half to find new momentum for the team. In the first 9 rounds of La Liga, he has made halftime substitutions 8 times. From Toni Fernandez being replaced by Fermin Lopez before Girona, Rashford coming off for Raphinha, to Olmo replaced by Dro, or Eric Garcia giving way to Ronald Araujo… all decisions bear tactical marks and reflect match situations.

Barca is less stable in many aspects compared to a year ago

It’s clear that most changes aim to realign the squad when the initial plan fails to deliver. Last season, at the same time, Flick made only one substitution, against Rayo Vallecano (Olmo replacing Ferran Torres), to try to salvage the match.

Barca’s Fragility

The pressure on the two stars, Pedri and Lamine, is immense. Pedri has been playing continuously and is showing signs of fatigue; Lamine has been in and out of the lineup for nearly a month due to injury, preventing him from regaining consistent rhythm. In this context, the win against Girona may serve as a morale boost, but clearly, the winning numbers cannot hide the real issue: the team lacks solidity, is not yet synchronized, and struggles to maintain consistent performance throughout matches.

Two defeats against PSG – the first time Barca under Flick has appeared inferior to the opponent – and Sevilla – with one of the worst first halves during Flick’s tenure – have left a mark in the dressing room, signaling tough times ahead. Amid a storm of injuries, a packed schedule, and constant pressure to adapt, Flick must find ways to juggle maintaining results while creating an effective style of play.

The scoreboard figures may make many optimistic, but for Barcelona now, the reality is much harsher: they are searching for stability in a challenging season where tactics, player fitness, and adaptability become decisive factors.

Thus, Flick’s second year at Barca presents a contrasting picture: a near-perfect record on paper, but each match is a battle with injuries and fatigue, leading to the need to change the lineup immediately after 45 minutes. Numbers alone cannot tell the full story, but the constant substitutions, personnel concerns, and fixture pressures paint the true portrait of the team: a Barcelona full of talent but also very fragile. Flick needs a convincing win against Olympiacos to overcome these difficulties and prepare for the "El Clasico" against Real Madrid.

Ngoc Linh

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