Hansi Flick confirms Barcelona won’t be signing any midfielders this summer
After Barcelona’s final pre-season match against AC Milan during their US tour, manager Hansi Flick announced that the club has no plans to sign any midfielders this summer.
At the start of the transfer window, Barcelona seemed focused on securing a pivot midfielder, particularly after Oriol Romeu’s signing last summer didn’t go as planned.
However, after Flick became manager, the focus shifted entirely to strengthening the attack with signings like Nico Williams and Dani Olmo. In contrast, the need for a defensive midfielder became less of a priority.
With the rise of academy talents Marc Casado and Marc Bernal, Flick has complete confidence in the La Masia duo, confirming that Barcelona will no longer pursue a new midfielder.
“We have several injured midfielders with great quality. When they come back we will be a better team and I think I have enough players there,” Flick said after the match, referencing the absences of Pedri, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong.
Reflecting on the match against AC Milan and the overall US tour, Flick shared his thoughts on the team’s performance and progress
After discussing the transfer situation, Flick turned his attention to Barcelona’s performance in their 2-2 draw against AC Milan, which saw the Italians secure victory in the penalty shootout.
“When we all press with intensity, that’s the way to go. Sometimes we have to be braver because it’s necessary. After the break we improved, we changed. It was fantastic how we pressed; the whole team was intense,” Flick said.
“This is what we want. In the second half, we had several chances, and they had problems.”
The German coach emphasized that there were still aspects of the team’s play that needed improvement, especially with the season just ten days away. He remarked:
“I want us to enjoy defending and attacking together. There are ten days to go until the league opener. We are heading in the right direction, but we can improve a lot.”
The former Bayern Munich manager expressed his satisfaction with Robert Lewandowski‘s performance, noting, “Very happy with his game; his two goals were deserved.”
Reflecting on the US pre-season tour, Flick highlighted that there were many positives for Barcelona to take from the experience, stating:
“The balance of the tour has been very positive. We had a lot of young players, their quality is enormous. Some players have improved over the last few days. They are adapting to what we want to see.”
When asked about Dani Olmo’s impending move to Barcelona, Flick did not elaborate, simply stating, “It’s not the day to talk about him.”
One Barcelona player who significantly enhances Hansi Flick’s team
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona experienced their first pre-season defeat against AC Milan in Baltimore. The match ended 2-2 after regular time, with Barcelona’s young squad losing to the Italian giants in a penalty shootout, capping off an intriguing game.
The Spanish team had a tough time in the first half, as Flick used a new lineup against Milan. Andreas Christensen replaced Marc Bernal in midfield. Alex Valle was the only defender who kept his spot in the game against Real Madrid.
Milan quickly took the lead with goals from Luka Jovic and Christian Pulisic. However, Barcelona gradually found their rhythm, with Raphinha playing a key role. Although he had a few scoring opportunities, he set up Robert Lewandowski for a well-executed first goal.
Barcelona’s situation shifted in the second half due to a key adjustment. Reports indicate that Flick substituted Christensen for Bernal, who partnered with Casado. The 17-year-old’s impact significantly turned the game in Barcelona’s favor.
According to Sofascore statistics, during his 45 minutes on the field, Bernal completed 91% of his passes, won two of three ground duels, his sole aerial duel, and successfully converted his penalty in the shootout.
The stats show that Barcelona played better with Bernal on the field. Although Christensen has done well as a pivot, he has a different connection with Casado or the technical skill that Bernal brings.
This pre-season has shown Flick that Casado and Bernal make a strong pairing. Bernal focuses more on positioning and drops between the center-backs. At the same time, Casado moves forward and uses his stamina to cover the pitch.
However, the two need to be fixed in their roles. When Bernal occasionally moves forward, Casado uses his experience as a positional six from his youth team days to cover for him.
La Masia has produced another standout player, Marc Bernal, who is poised to shine for Barcelona this season. He brings a sense of composure to the midfield, and it’s anticipated that Flick will give him a key role in the upcoming season.
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