How Hansi Flick has found the key to reviving his Barça

BarcelonaFollowing the defeat in London, Hansi Flick was emphatic in the press conference: "We will see a different Barça, I can promise you that."And he wasn't wrong. Since that 3-0 defeat at Chelsea, Barça has strung together five consecutive victories, allowing them to seize the lead in La Liga and keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top eight of the Champions League to avoid a knockout round (the play-offIn Europe, this is important given the tight schedule. The return of Joan Garcia, Pedri, and Raphinha—the backbone of Hansi Flick's Barça—has been key, but so has the team's defensive improvement, thanks to the stability of the center-back pairing. Without Iñigo Martínez, the German coach began the season searching for a left-sided center-back. With Pau Cubarsí a fixture in the heart of the defense—having missed only four matches this season—Araujo, Eric Garcia, and Christensen competed to see who could secure a starting spot alongside the player from Estanyol. The Uruguayan –now on indefinite leave– He has been the one who has accompanied the Catalan footballer from the start the most times, up to seven.The last time was at Chelsea's ground, when he was sent off for a second yellow card before halftime. Eric – who this season has played at full-back on both sides, center-back, and defensive midfielder – has started alongside Cubarsí five times, while Christensen has not started with the Girona native. Other pairings used by the German manager from the start were Eric Garcia with either Christensen or Araujo, each on two occasions, and the Uruguayan and the Dane, who started together against Real Sociedad.

After trying virtually every option, Flick moved Gerard to the center of defenseA tactic he had already employed in the preseason match against Seoul (3-7). He used it again in the Barça – Athletic Club game (4-0), a match in which the Blaugrana managed to keep a clean sheet after conceding at least one goal in ten consecutive matches. The manager didn't repeat this formula at Stamford Bridge, where he again paired Araujo with Cubarsí, but the 3-0 scoreline and the Uruguayan's sending-off proved decisive for the German, who has since always started with Gerard as the left-sided center-back. After the win against Osasuna, Flick praised the two defenders. "Gerard has improved tremendously, and he and Cubarsí make a very good pairing." With that pairing, Barça has won every match.

This stability in the heart of the defense has also been accompanied by an improvement in goal. After suffering a torn meniscus against Oviedo, Joan Garcia was sidelined for almost two months. With Ter Stegen also out, Wojciech Szczesny had to put his gloves back on for nine matches, none of which ended with a clean sheet. During these 58 days, the Polish goalkeeper conceded seventeen goals, an average of 1.89 goals per game. Since Joan's return, this average has dropped to 1.29 goals per game: in the fourteen matches in which the Sallent native has played, the figure has fallen to one goal conceded per game. In fact, with the Catalan between the posts, Barça has managed to keep a clean sheet on five occasions.

Pedri's magic and Raphinha's pressure

Improved defense and sharper attacking form. In recent weeks, Flick has also welcomed back two key figures in build-up play and ball recovery. Pedri once again demonstrated his excellent vision and ability to break lines against Osasuna. Against a tight defense, a run by the Canary Islander – with a perfectly timed pass – unlocked the Navarrese defense, leading to Raphinha's goal. Between the midfielder and the winger, they have been directly involved in six of Barça's last fifteen goals.

Pedri provided four assists, two of them to Raphinha, who contributed three goals and one assist. But in addition to creating chances, they are also essential in winning back possession. Flick has repeatedly emphasized that the first line of defense must be the forwards. "Raphinha always brings dynamism to our game. He's very important because he has great intensity, and when he starts pressing, he makes everyone else press as well," said Hansi Flick. The German has brought back the joyful version of Barça now that Joan, Pedri, and Raphinha are back. Ensuring none of the three suffer another injury will be key to celebrating titles in May.