Barcelona and ex-manager and legend Xavi Hernández parted ways after the end of last season with the storied club failing to win any major trophies. On top of that, their bitter rivals Real Madrid had a perfect season winning a treble including La Liga, Spanish Super Cup and the Champions League. The Blaugrana had a tough task on their hands in the summer, looking for a new manager who needed to bring success while playing entertaining football that Barcelona has been famous for over the years. To the surprise of many, Barcelona decided to hire the services of ex-Bayern München manager Hansi Flick. A lot of the Culers were doubtful at the appointment but what a stroke of genius it’s proving to be from the much-maligned Barça management.
So far, Barcelona have been a complete contrast to last season. They are putting teams through the sword, annihilating and decimating anyone who comes in their way. Their stats make for an interesting viewing as they are leading on all important statistics in both attack and defense. Barcelona is top of the league in the Spanish La Liga and won the last three consecutive games in the Champions League after losing the first one. They have won 14 out of the 16 games so far this season, only losing two games and haven’t dropped points on draws as well. Their attacking stats are unbelievable having scored a mammoth 56 goals in all competitions already, averaging 3.5 goals per game. If their attack is to marvel at, then their defense needs to be praised as well. Even with defensive injury issues at the start of the season, they have performed well averaging 1.0 goal conceded per game. Their offside trap with a high defensive line has worked brilliantly having caught the opposition in an offside position more than 60+ times already this season. Also, they are not depending on one or two individuals for goals, the goals are flowing from all quarters. Special mention to the front three of Raphina, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal who have been in smashing form this season. They are the most threatening forward line in Europe with a staggering combination of 26 goals and 15 assists amongst them. It’s not just the numbers though, they have clearly been the most entertaining team to watch this season.
Hansi Flick has not only rejuvenated this young and talented team, he has also instilled in them a lot of confidence going forward while executing the offside trap to near perfection. He has moved Barcelona slightly away from the traditional tiki-taka possession-based football with a lot of emphasis on chance creation in the final third. Barcelona still plays short passes but can also go forward with a long pass. The quality of the players has ensured that Barcelona is playing risky yet rewarding football at the moment. Another notable feature of his coaching has been his handling of the young players with great aplomb and finesse. Players like Pau Cubarsí, Fermín López and Marc Casadó are thriving under his tutelage. The winning mentality has come through on several occasions and it was on display when they beat European giants Bayern München and rivals Real Madrid comprehensively in a span of three days.
It’s still early days though and unfortunate injuries could derail their momentum as they are short on squad depth. However, if they can manage to keep their important players fit this season, Barcelona could very well be on course to win major honours as they look unbeatable and incredibly dangerous at the moment.
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