Barcelona secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Valencia in their first game at the challenging Mestalla stadium. Hansi Flick, who has overseen five matches, has followed a consistent pattern in these games. Here is a look at the recurring elements:
Bernal is the Chosen DM
The talk of the town has been Marc Bernal, a 17-year-old player who put on an impressive performance in the La Liga opener. He participated in the pre-season games as well as the Joan Gamper Trophy and seems to have the approval of Flick. Flick prefers to play with two midfielders, one pushing higher up the field as a number eight while also tracking back and the other staying deeper to help in the build-up as a number six.
In the absence of İlkay Gündoğan, Frenkie De Jong, and Gavi, Barca’s midfield depth was lacking, and Bernal stepped in to provide some short-term relief to Flick. He showcased a 94% passing accuracy and completed all four long balls he attempted. Not only was he good on the ball, but he also displayed strong defensive abilities by winning five out of eight ground duels. Last season, Barca struggled with a midfielder who could address the gap which Sergi Busquets left in the defensive midfield position, but Bernal’s performance showed promise in this area.
While Bernal might not be the immediate solution, his mature performance against a tough away team in the league was refreshing to see. A solid defensive midfielder also boosts the confidence of the backline. Although Bernal lacks experience, his composed play during the game did not reflect that he is just a 17-year-old. As another product of the La Masia academy with immense potential, the minutes he earned will surely contribute to his development.
Pressing Structure
One important aspect of Flick’s tenure at Barcelona is how he addresses their defensive issues when they don’t have possession of the ball. Under Xavi, Barcelona initially showed promise before their defensive structure became a major concern, leading to easy goals conceded. Flick’s Bayern Munich displayed an impressive defensive structure, pressing aggressively for the entire 90 minutes.
In the initial games, Barcelona seemed to stay compact, forcing the opposing team to move the ball to the wings. However, Valencia was able to exploit the wings effectively, with constant exchanges between the fullbacks and wide midfielders, while the strikers made runs behind Barcelona’s defensive line, disrupting their pressing. This strategy created numerous goal-scoring opportunities for Valencia.
Barcelona conceded a goal in a similar manner: Vazquez carried the ball without being pressed, while Yamal stayed centrally, combining with Diego López to deliver a cross that found an unmarked Hugo Duro, who headed it past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Barcelona’s style of play is high risk, high reward. Their possession play is superb, but they struggle during transitions. It is still early, and Flick has time to develop a well-organized defensive pressing structure.
Time to Get Excited About Olmo?
In his first game starting for the team, Ferran had several great opportunities to score but could not finish them world-class. Nonetheless, his role has created some excitement around a new Barca signing who hasn’t received much attention.
During the Euros, Olmo had an impressive performance, replacing Pedri, and scoring for the Spanish side. National team coach Luis De La Fuente positioned him centrally as a number 10 where he had multiple goal-scoring chances. Although Ferran was listed as a left winger, he played more centrally, close to Lewandowski, while Keita Baldé covered the width on the wings. Olmo seems to be well-suited for this role; he has excellent shooting abilities and is confident with the ball, connecting well with strikers and attacks between the lines.
Raphinha played in a central attacking position and performed well, earning a penalty and providing defensive support. Olmo could also thrive in that role, although there may be questions about his defensive capabilities. This could potentially lead to a lineup adjustment with Raphinha on the left wing and Lamine on the right, which Xavi used during his tenure with Raphinha as an inverted winger. Initially, it seemed like signing Olmo would not solve any issues, but now it looks like Flick wanted him to be a key part of the attack.
It’s too early to make final judgments, and despite winning at Mestalla, there is still a lot of work to be done. It remains to be seen what transfer activity Barcelona will engage in before the window closes. A defensive midfielder who can thrive in Flick’s system would be a valuable addition to the team.