Once again, Barcelona are La Liga champions under Hansi Flick.
It’s officially an era to remember. The exciting thing is to imagine that it’s just getting started after the manager signed a new two-year contract to extend his time at the Camp Nou.
There were unforgettable moments, such as the winning the league at home against Real Madrid, thrashing Newcastle 7-2 in the Champions League, and the opening of the renovated stadium, to great success as Barcelona were unbeatable at home.
There were unforgettable
goals from Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, Fermín López, and others.
What I’m reflecting on today, however, are the things that contributed to the title winning success of Hansi Flick and his team this season, and that have also built the foundation for sustained success heading into the future.
The Barca debut of Joan Garcia
The biggest storyline of last summer was the decision to bring in Joan Garcia after a breakthrough season at Espanyol.
The writing was starting to emerge on the wall that Marc-André ter Stegen’s time as Barca’s number one was coming to an end after a string of injuries, and doubts starting to circulate as to whether he was still a world class option.
Deco didn’t hesitate to sign Garcia. The opportunity was too good to walk away from.
Bringing him in was a sign that Barcelona were evolving. As a goalkeeper, Garcia had developed a reputation for incredible shot stopping, but it wasn’t clear how good he was with his feet, something that has become an expectation for all Barca players, goalies included.
From the beginning, Garcia inspired confidence, won over the fanbase and team-mates alike, and never looked back.
The one hicccup was a howler against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey that may have been the most approximate cause of Barca’s elimination. That being said, you could just as well have blamed the poor condition of the pitch for the blunder.
Garcia became Barcelona’s anchor, and he is likely to be the main man between the sticks for many years to come.
Lamine Yamal maturing into a leader
Another unfortunate story to grab the headlines a year ago was the off-field escapades of Lamine Yamal and his infamous 18th birthday party.
Many, myself included, began to wonder, perhaps unfairly, whether we had a Ronaldinho or a Lionel Messi on our hands in terms of longevity and ability to live up to expectations.
Having barely lost to Ousmane Dembele in the Ballon d’Or added more intrigue to the debate. Could Lamine take his game to the next level?
Without a doubt, we saw an upgraded version of the football’s next and current global superstar.
It’s not just the stats, although he did take a step forward in this department with 22 goals and 14 assists across La Liga and the Champions League. It was the way he carried the team on his back in the biggest moments, even at times in losing knockout efforts.
What we learned is that Lamine is more than just the magic in his boots. He is a competitor and he understands what winning means as the face of Barcelona.
Hansi Flick’s tactics continuing to dominate Spain
How fortunate Barcelona is to have Hansi Flick.
He is imperfect, but he is a damn good coach who has accomplished so much with so little.
Real Madrid brought in Xabi Alonso, a signal that they were ready to give Flick a challenge in his second year in charge give the reputation that the Spaniard built at Leverkusen for his tactics and leadership ability.
By the midway point of the season, Alonso was sacked after losing the Supercopa to Flick, and Real Madrid officially entered meltdown mode.
Flick and Barcelona were cool as a cucumber in La Liga, even more consistent and dominant than in year one. If you remove the last three throw away games, they were both the best offensive and defensive team in Spain. They also, with a little bit more at stake at the end, could have and likely would have gotten to 100 points.
The Champions League is another question next season.
I’m beginning to think, however, the problem isn’t the tactics, but the lack of backing to give Flick the depth he needs to be in the best position for success.
Some pragmatism in certain moments wouldn’t hurt, but the biggest factor will be whether Joan Laporta can get Flick a new forward, and at least one new defender to put Barcelona over the top.
All in all, it’s amazing to see Flick in the process of building a potential Barcelona dynasty in Spain. Three titles in a row would put him in the same company as Pep Guardiola.
It’s even more impressive though when you consider what he’s working with.
How about you guys? What were your favorite things about Barcelona this season. Share your thoughts in the comments below!
