FC Barcelona’s recent struggles have reignited debate around Hansi Flick’s tactical approach, and one of the most outspoken critics is former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos. Speaking on his podcast Einfach mal Luppen, which he co-hosts with his brother Felix, the 35-year-old argued that while Barcelona play some of the most attractive football in Europe, their insistence on a risky, possession-heavy game leaves them dangerously exposed.
“Barcelona have one of the most appealing styles in Europe,
but they take too many risks,” Kroos said, referencing the team’s defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League and Sevilla in La Liga. “On a bad day for Pedri, Lamine Yamal, or Raphinha, any opponent can hurt them and knock them out of the Champions League.”
Kroos, who retired after Euro 2024, also warned that Barça’s intensity often fades late in games. “After the 75th minute, you can see the fatigue. They don’t change their style to protect the result, and that makes their weaknesses obvious,” he explained. The veteran midfielder believes this pattern could once again cost Barcelona dearly in the knockout stages, just as it did last season against Inter Milan.
The comments come at a tense time for Flick, whose team went into the international break after back-to-back losses. Barcelona’s thin squad, shaped by ongoing financial restrictions and injury setbacks, has limited Flick’s tactical flexibility. Missing key players like Raphinha, Fermín López, and Lamine Yamal in recent matches has further strained the team’s rhythm.
Still, Kroos was not entirely dismissive. He acknowledged the allure of Flick’s football and Barça’s dominance in domestic play, saying that in La Liga they would be harder to beat. Yet he insists that without a more pragmatic plan B, their European ambitions may once again fall short.
Flick and Kroos crossed paths in the past, when the Barcelona manager was an assistant for the German national team. Despite the fact Flick managed both Bayern Munich and the German national team, and Kroos played for both, their paths did not intersect in that capacity. In fact, Flick’s reign as Germany manager coincided with Kroos’s brief first retirement from international football.
