German coach Hans Flick, the Barcelona coach, confirmed that the news that has recently spread about his intention to leave the Catalan team at the end of the season is baseless. He affirmed his full commitment to the team’s project and his continuation until the end of his contract.
Flick had extended his contract with Barcelona until the summer of 2027 last May, after leading the team to win the local treble last season, which restored joy to the “Camp Nou” fans after years of failures in Europe.
But after Barcelona’s loss to Real Madrid in the last Clasico, press reports emerged indicating that there were disagreements within the club, and that Flick had begun to think about his future with the team, which raised concerns among the Catalan team’s fans.
The Catalan newspaper “Sport” mentioned that the German coach took pictures with Barcelona fans and signed autographs for them in Belgium on Wednesday, then received questions from some of them about the truth of those rumors. Flick responded with a brief smile, saying: “More nonsense,” a short but decisive statement that put an end to the controversy surrounding his future.
Barcelona is preparing to face Club Brugge of Belgium on Wednesday evening, in the fourth round of the group stage of the Champions League, an important match for the team in its European journey, especially as it occupies second place in the group with 6 points after 3 rounds.
In the Spanish League, Barcelona is also in second place, five points behind leaders Real Madrid, amid strong competition for the title since the beginning of the season.
Barcelona squad for the Brugge match
Flick announced the team’s squad traveling to Belgium, which witnessed the return of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for weeks, in addition to the return of Spanish international Dani Olmo recently from injury.
In return, the absence of many influential elements continued, most notably Raphinha, Pablo Gavi, Pedri Gonzalez, Andreas Christensen, and Marc-André ter Stegen.
The Barcelona squad is as follows:
Goalkeeping: Wojciech Szczęsny, Diego Kochen, Eder Alaire
Defense: Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araújo, Jules Koundé, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Xavi Espeart
Midfield: Frenkie de Jong, Fermín López, Dani Olmo, Marc Casadó, Marc Bernal, Drew Fernández
Attack: Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, Ronny Bardghji, Robert Lewandowski
Raphinha is nearing a return
There is positive news about the condition of Brazilian winger Raphinha, who is continuing his rehabilitation program in preparation for returning to the pitch after a long absence.
According to the newspaper “Sport”, the player is in the final stages of recovering from a muscle injury he sustained in the match against Real Oviedo, which has kept him out of the team for more than six weeks, although the initial diagnosis estimated the period of absence at only three weeks.
Raphinha suffered a slight setback during the last international break, which prevented him from participating against Girona, then the Clasico, after feeling a lack of complete physical readiness despite his improved condition.
Although he has not yet joined the full group training, there is an atmosphere of optimism prevailing in the dressing room, as those close to the player confirm that he feels much better and may return gradually after the next international break.
His official appearance is expected to be delayed until the end of next week, as he will not participate against Club Brugge, and may travel with the team to Vigo without actually participating in the match.
Ancelotti excludes him from the Brazil squad
In a move considered by many to be in the player’s interest, Italian Carlo Ancelotti, coach of the Brazilian national team, decided to exclude Raphinha from the Samba squad during the current international break, to give him additional time to fully recover in Barcelona.
This decision relieved pressure on the player, and allowed him to focus on completing his treatment program without the need to travel or participate internationally, which Flick and his coaching staff welcomed.
Raphinha is seen within Barcelona as one of the leaders in the dressing room, as Flick describes him as a “positive spirit that adds balance and commitment,” repeatedly pointing to his lack of influence on and off the field.
The Brazilian star participated in only 7 matches this season, during which he scored 3 goals and provided two assists, before his career was temporarily halted due to injury. Barcelona hopes for his return soon to strengthen the right attacking front, which lacked depth and speed in his absence.
Injury nightmare haunts Barcelona
Despite the great work done by the coaching staff, the Catalan club is experiencing a state of concern and confusion due to the unprecedented increase in injuries since the beginning of the season.
According to the Spanish newspaper “AS”, Barcelona has recorded 13 different injuries in just three months, a high rate that has sparked discontent among players and the coaching staff alike.
Data obtained by the physical staff indicates a noticeable decrease in speed and endurance rates compared to last season, which was reflected in the team’s performance on the pitch, where they seemed slower in pressing and recovering the ball.
Flick believes that the reason is due to the fatigue resulting from the busy schedule, but at the same time he does not hide his concern about the decrease in general physical fitness, and has already begun reviewing training and rehabilitation programs in cooperation with the medical staff.
In return, some players expressed their dissatisfaction with the current physical programs, considering that they do not take into account individual differences and do not suit the nature of the long season.
This has prompted a number of them to resort to private experts outside the club to improve their fitness, such as Ferran Torres, who used a special physical and psychological coach to strengthen his muscles and regain his confidence after repeated injuries.
Barcelona begins physical reform plan
Despite the criticism, the club’s management still trusts the person in charge of physical preparation, Julio Toux, who is considered one of the most prominent specialists in Europe, as they believe that he is able to correct the current imbalance thanks to his extensive experience.
Toux has already begun implementing a comprehensive reform plan that includes increasing working hours inside the gym, designing individual programs for each player according to his physical condition, in addition to cooperating with external specialists to monitor fitness and recovery indicators.
The club hopes that these measures will bear fruit quickly, after the injury crisis has become a threat to the technical stability of the team and the balance of its results in various competitions, both domestic and continental.
Barcelona, which started the season with promising performance, now finds itself in a difficult test to maintain the technical and physical rhythm as the decisive stages of the season approach.
With Flick’s confirmation of his commitment to the club’s project, the biggest challenge ahead of him remains to restore the readiness of his players and restore harmony to the team, so that injuries do not turn into the biggest obstacle to his ambitions in defending the titles.
