Barcelona and Hansi Flick have loved a particular run over the previous two seasons, successful 5 trophies, together with back-to-back La Liga titles.
On Sunday night time, the membership kick off their third season underneath the German coach’s tutelage as they face off towards Elche away from residence in La Liga.
The thrill couldn’t be any increased forward of the workforce’s first recreation of the model new season, particularly given how they’ve gone on and signed among the finest names in world soccer this summer time.
A big a part of the contingent remains to be not prepared to begin on condition that they returned late from trip, however Hansi Flick has greater than required depth to begin off with a win.
Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Elche vs Barcelona.
Welcome the defending champions
“We should give worth to this league [and] the eight leagues in 11 years. Perhaps now we don’t admire it, however over time we are going to notice how tough it’s to do that.”
These have been the words of Barcelona’s captain Lionel Messi forward of the 2019-20 season at a time when the membership’s trustworthy started centring the success of the workforce purely on the UEFA Champions League, underplaying the workforce’s home dominance.
As he predicted, the membership quickly confronted a downfall no-one noticed coming. From the 2019-20 season, the workforce received La Liga solely as soon as in 5 years, and the problem of home dominance was introduced again into perspective for the followers.
Flick’s arrival has as soon as once more reinstated the identical sense of home dominance, as Barcelona have received the league back-to-back previously two seasons.
With that success, nonetheless, additionally comes a way of entitlement and makes followers neglect the problem of successful La Liga. Because the workforce steps in as defending champions going for the third straight title, it’s crucial that there’s a reminiscence of Messi’s well-known phrases.
Actual Madrid have strengthened themselves considerably forward of the brand new season, and it’s clear that they see this season’s league as non-negotiable.
Barcelona should match that starvation all through the season, paying no heed to the truth that they’ve had Actual Madrid’s quantity lately.
Tomorrow, that new chapter begins, and it should be with the identical sense of humility that Flick has at all times maintained in his squad.
An extension of pre-season
Barcelona had the single-largest contingent within the Spanish nationwide workforce on the latest FIFA World Cup. With Spain going all the best way, a major chunk of core gamers solely returned to coaching every week in the past.
Having simply accomplished their trip and returned to coaching, it’s clear that many names is probably not ready to leap right into a beginning position within the first recreation.
In that sense, it will not be stunning if Flick takes a cautious method to tomorrow’s conflict with large names on the bench and prefers trusting the gamers who shone in pre-season and are extra match-fit.
Pau Cubarsi was fully rested within the Joan Gamper trophy, probably as a result of the workforce wants him from the very first recreation, and could also be an anomalous exception to that generalisation.
Lamine Yamal, who has returned sharp and ready, can also begin on the night time. The likes of Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo and even Rodri, in the meantime, may nicely begin on the bench and have a restricted position.
As a substitute, the manager could use the opportunity at hand out minutes to Xavi Espart, Marc Bernal, Hamza Abdelkarim, Karim Adeyemi and others who stood out over the previous month.
What’s Flick’s No. 9 plan?
At this level, Barcelona’s squad is full barring a quantity 9 and a brand new central defender. Of the 2, it’s the former division the place the supervisor faces a much bigger downside.
With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres each not on the membership and a substitute not but signed, Flick should discover a inventive resolution to the quantity 9 downside towards Elche on Sunday night time.
Thus far in pre-season, the coach has appeared to position Raphinha as a No. 9 9 with Adeyemi and Gordon flanking him. On condition that even Yamal is obtainable and that there are enough choices on the wings, Flick may nicely look to strive Raphinha as a striker as soon as extra.
There may be, nonetheless, one other very compelling possibility in Hamza Abdelkarim – Barcelona’s standout pre-season performer who has proven to have a particular intuition in entrance of aim.
{The teenager} is undoubtedly very proficient and has made a robust case to be Barcelona’s No. 9 if a brand new signing can’t be accomplished. Tomorrow’s recreation may nicely be an audition on that entrance to see how the participant can carry out underneath strain.
A 3rd possibility is to deploy Anthony Gordon because the No. 9 or Dani Olmo or Fermin Lopez as a false 9. Flick’s coaching periods to date, nonetheless, don’t point out that as a probable chance.
All eyes, evidently, will probably be on what tactical tweak Flick makes to cowl the quantity 9 void and the way it impacts Barcelona’s effectivity in entrance of aim.
