Former Barcelona defender Miguel Angel Nadal says the Catalan giants need to strengthen defensively if they want to win the Champions League.
Hansi Flick has seen his team knocked out in the quarter-finals and semi-finals since taking charge of the club, and Nadal says they need to be better defensively.
“I think this year Barcelona genuinely had a great chance of winning it. What do they still lack for me? A more solid defence. At a collective level, when they face matches, they don’t mind carrying
the weight of the game,” he told BetBrothers.
“They control the play, they have attacking resolution and a good average of goals scored per match, but they concede quite a few on the counter-attack, and in Europe that is crucial.
“They have a style that is risky at times. Even against Newcastle, whom they beat, they conceded goals. In Europe, once you reach the quarter-finals, semi-finals or a possible final, you need more defensive solidity.”
Yet Nadal thinks that Barcelona can go on and taste success in Europe if they do bolster the squad.
“Spanish football is attractive, but the differences are noticeable when you play in Europe. If you want to reach the final or win the title, they need to become a bit more solid defensively,” he added.
“And that’s not exclusively the defence, it can also be in midfield. But I think Barcelona in the coming years will be a clear contender for the Champions League.”
Barcelona are thought to be in the market for a new center-back this summer, with Alessandro Bastoni still the top target.
