Flick addresses high line fears against Bayern and De Jong injury

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has not revealed whether he will be maintaining the very high line his side have been using against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday night, The Blaugrana have been pressing as high as the halfway line at times in La Liga, and were caught out by it against Sevilla, but it has been a key feature of their improvement this season.

The big question that most people are asking is whether that line is sustainable against teams like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, who have the weapons and pace in behind to beat an offside trap.

“Well, I think you have asked me many things. If I say too much, I will give you an idea about how we want to approach the game. There are clear things that the team has to do, and we have to be certain about those things. Not everything turns out 100% perfect but we do try to improve in each game. Pressing high will be important, but defending will also be important when the time comes.

Flick confirmed that Frenkie de Jong would be available again, having missed out on the match against Sevilla, with only Eric Garcia and Marc Bernal absent through injury. There had been talk that de Jong did not get on in the second half as a deliberate punishment from Flick.

There have also been reports this week that Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and La Liga are closing in on the relevant permissions to host their December league clash in Miami in the USA, rather than at Montjuic.

“I am a person who lives in the present. I don’t know what decision will be made but I am focused on the game against Bayern Munich,” Flick said, ducking a potentially awkward issue for him.