Gullit criticizes Barcelona: Why insist on a plan that is doomed to fail?

The former Dutch footballer criticized Barça's high defensive line after the 3-3 draw in Bruges: "Why persist with a plan doomed to failure?"

FC Barcelona's 3-3 draw in Bruges on Matchday 4 of the Champions League group stage has intensified the debate surrounding Hansi Flick's game plan. The German coach's approach, based on a high defensive line and intense pressure on the opposing passer, was one of the keys to his success last season. However, by the end of the campaign, opponents had learned how to counter it. This season, despite acknowledging that the system needed adjustments, Flick has maintained his commitment to a bold style, but one that is extremely vulnerable when the opponent manages to break through the first line of pressure. In Bruges, that idea completely fell apart.

Among the critical voices regarding Barça's game plan, one of the loudest was that of Ruud Gullit. The legendary Dutch former footballer and current television commentator for 'Bein Sports' didn't mince words when analyzing the match: "Why persist with a plan doomed to failure?" He insisted that playing this way is counterproductive and "kamikaze." These statements sparked debate about the implementation of Hansi Flick's project.

Barça once again displayed their defensive fragility, the team's Achilles' heel since the start of the season: they have already conceded 20 goals in 15 matches, seven of them in four European fixtures. The high defensive line employed by the German coach, designed to press high and suffocate the opponent, has become a constant risk. Against Club Brugge, every loss of possession was an invitation to the opposition's attack.

Gullit questioned not only the approach itself, but also the insistence on this model. Flick, true to his philosophy, declared after the match in Belgium that he has no intention of changing the defensive strategy. "We are Barça and we want to play our football. We can talk about changing everything, but I'm not that kind of coach. We will play according to our DNA. We won't defend in our own half and we will play on the counter-attack to win 1-0," he emphasized. "We can defend the final third or continue with our philosophy. We'll do things better," the German insisted.

Gullit wasn't the only one to question the Barça coach's approach. Another football legend with a Barça past also vehemently criticized FC Barcelona's tactics.

This was Thierry Henry, who told CBS Sports: "How much longer are we going to keep repeating the same thing?" He added: "I understand you press, but you also need to defend without the ball and protect your goal. It's not just about pressing and winning the ball back, especially when opponents are attacking your defense from the right and left." The debate is open.