Barcelona, Back to Their Roots!
When most football fans think of the juggernaut that is Barcelona, the first thing that runs through their heads is ‘La Masia’, probably the greatest academy system to ever exist in modern football.
Year after year, the five-time Champions League winners spawn two or three talents who slot seamlessly into their squad, with the likes of Pau Cubarsi, Golden Boy winners Pedri and Gavi, and of course, 17-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal breaking through in recent years.
Finding Your Identity Again
A few years of financial mismanagement and poor recruitment decisions left the Catalan club in search of regaining their identity. The homegrown strategy we all associated with Barcelona seemed to change around 2016/17 when they spent huge money on Ousmane Dembele (€105m) from Borussia Dortmund and prized Liverpool star Phillip Coutinho (€165m) away from Anfield. Both moves didn’t work out, and Barcelona would have probably been better off just trusting their youth.
Due to these decisions, it has almost been forced onto the club to go back to their roots and rely on the young and promising players they have at their disposal, and with an attacking coach like Hansi Flick who has already developed talents such as Jamal Musiala, the future looks a lot brighter for Barca.
The wealth of talent currently in this Barcelona side is frankly ridiculous, and as seen already this season, they finally look in a great position to challenge Europe’s elite. With an impressive five wins from five and Barca boys Yamal and Pedri lighting up La Liga, stability has returned to the Camp Nou.
Integrating these youngsters alongside the already established Academy graduates like Pedri and Gavi will not only create immediate success but almost certainly guarantee the club a bright future.
“I want to stay at Barcelona for my entire career.”
A Shift Away From the Transfer Market
Barcelona’s only major summer signing was Dani Olmo for €60 million, who also came through La Masia. The creative midfielder is already an instant hit, bagging three goals in as many games and adding to a Barcelona frontline that looks to be one of the most frightening and in-form attacks in Europe.
Having mentioned their impressive start to life under the German, it is clear to see how they have managed to dominate teams, scoring 17 goals in just five games and only conceding four. Dani Olmo has been essential to this.
Flick’s tactics are also incredibly fluid in possession, as seen in their 4-1 dismantling of Girona. Here you often saw the wide players come central, creating overloads and, in turn, resulting in short, intricate play between the midfielders and forwards, dragging defenders out of position and leaving space for runners in behind.
As seen here, Raphinha drops into the pocket, dragging two defenders with him, which in turn creates space for Cassado who has four options running through on goal.
This fluidity and giving the creative players the license to roam, is a major factor as to why youngsters such as Yamal are able to influence the game effectively and express themselves in the way they were brought up to. This setup is completely different from the one used under the previous manager, Xavi, which was much more rigid and is already paying dividends.
Flick has used this type of buildup at his previous club Bayern Munich, and it proved successful as his side demolished a Barcelona side still consisting of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez 8-2 at the Camp Nou.
This is a staple of a Hansi Flick team, and with the right profiles, it can dominate opponents. During his time at Bayern Munich, Flick boasted the best winning ratio of any Bayern manager in history at an impressive 83%, and his side averaged three goals per game.
The Hansi Flick Influence
Barcelona needed a manager willing to integrate the youth and someone who can get the fans believing again, and there is belief that the German is the perfect man for the job. He isn’t scared of playing the youth and has stuck to his principles in and out of possession. The players have bought into this very quickly. He also boasts an incredible winning record, having won seven trophies, including the Champions League, in just two years while developing some brilliant players along the way.
“There is no age at which I exclude players”
Hansi Flick
Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Pep Guardiola, Cesc Fabregas and many more world-class players have come through ‘La Masia’ to create legacies for Barcelona. Will this new look side with plenty of young stars create their own success and lead Barcelona back to the heights that they once reached? Early signs point to yes.
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