Hansi Flick does not believe Barcelona's recent downturn is echoing the way his Bayern Munich reign unravelled, insisting injuries to key players are affecting the Blaugrana.
Barca won LaLiga, the Supercopa de Espana and the Copa del Rey in Flick's first campaign at the helm in 2024-25, but his second season has not gone entirely to plan.
Flick's side are already five points behind Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga, having lost the first Clasico of the season by a 2-1 scoreline.
They were also thumped 4-1 at Sevilla in early October, while Wednesday's 3-3 Champions League draw with Club Brugge was another underwhelming result.
Flick also won a treble in his first season as Bayern boss in 2019-20 – lifting the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League trophies.
His second season brought another Bundesliga title, but Bayern fell short in the cup and in Europe before Flick quit to take the Germany job, leaving under something of a cloud.
Looking ahead to Sunday's trip to Celta Vigo, who are 13th in the table, Flick said: "Last season, we played at a different level.
"We've already talked about the game against Brugge and everyone knows exactly what we want to see on the pitch. What the players have to do, is show it."
Asked if he saw any similarities with his time in Bavaria, Flick said: "I don't want to talk about Bayern. We won the Bundesliga also in my second year there.
"It's not an excuse, it's a fact that we have a lot of injured players and many of them are key players. That is very important. We will manage it as best we can.
"In LaLiga, we are five behind Madrid, but we are still second. There is a long way to go until May."
Gavi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Joan Garcia and Raphinha are among the players on Barca's injury list, while teenage superstar Lamine Yamal has battled a groin issue for much of the season.
Yamal has been named in Spain's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers versus Georgia and Turkiye, and despite the winger being injured while on international duty in September, Flick trusts La Roja's staff to protect him.
"I only ask the same as when he plays here – that he is taken care of," Flick said.
"He is still not 100%, he still has some discomfort, and we have to take care of him. Not only here, but also in the national team."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Celta Vigo – Iago Aspas
Aspas has scored 11 goals in 21 matches against Barcelona in LaLiga, making him the player with the most goals against the Blaugrana in the competition in the 21st century.
Barcelona – Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski has scored five goals in six matches against Celta in LaLiga.
Only against Valencia (nine) and Alaves (seven) has he scored more goals in the competition (also five against Real Sociedad, Sevilla and Villarreal).
lakbcdeptu
0
you need too have two tactics no just one off side trap ....come on flick wake up .
what other tactics do u suggest?
pium
0
Raphina, Lamine and Lewa injured for most of the campaign so far and now when Lewa is back Pedri is injured. When we have Lewa,Rapha, Lamine back with Pedri, FDJ, Fermin midfield we can see what happens. Still void left by Inigo is surprisingly bigger than everyone expected. Hopefully someone (Christensen imo) could step up to fll it.
kandmopty
0
phemoranking
1
you need too have two tactics no just one off side trap ....come on flick wake up .
mipikmnrtz
0
rasista de mierda
samacklmnz
3
Your players are talking toms tell them to humble themselves and focused on football
Ketadikruz
0
Ketadikruz
0
dd
viwbelptuy
3
I don't agree with Flick the least. The reality about Barca's down turn is the high pressing tactics he's deployed. In fact it worked last season for two reasons. That Inigo Martinez's present did the trick because he had then mastered the act and was able to carry his colleagues along anytime the opposing team attacks. The second reason has to do with opponents being caught unawares but that appears to have changed as opposing teams easily break it. This has rendered the Barcelona back 4 susceptible and vulnerable such that it is difficult for Barcelona to come out of a game with a clean sheet. So until Laporte, the sporting director and the board sit at a round table and review that tactic for purposes of evaluating and varying it, the team will continue to ship in goals
Lotbimos
1
grxdshfutdou
tieadknoyz
1
We need to come out our best,we need more quality defenders on our side,we need more experience and quality defenders,like we have in the past days,we need to sharpen more of our defense than ever and strengthen more on attack not always