Barcelona’s position as La Liga leaders remains intact, but their recent form has shown a worrying decline.
In their last three matches, the team has managed to secure just one point from a possible nine, which has raised concerns among fans.
On matchday 12, Barça enjoyed a comfortable nine-point lead over Real Madrid, but this could shrink to just one point if Madrid manage to defeat Getafe on Sunday.
In light of this, it is important to focus on some of the factors contributing to the team’s struggles.
While Barcelona’s players have been criticized for not following the tactical instructions of head coach Hansi Flick, one issue that stands out is his questionable decision-making when it comes to substitutions.
Prime examples
Hansi Flick has waited far too long to make necessary changes. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
In recent games, Flick has been slow to react during crucial moments, and this has had a negative impact on the team’s ability to turn matches in their favour.
For example, in the loss to Las Palmas, Flick waited until the 92nd minute to bring on Pau Victor, despite the team already trailing 1-2 since the 67th minute.
Similarly, against Celta Vigo, Barcelona were winning 2-0 when Marc Casado was sent off in the 82nd minute, but Flick did not bring on a midfielder to adjust the balance until the 89th minute when the score was already 2-2 after Celta scored twice in quick succession.
In the game against Real Sociedad, with Barcelona trailing 0-1, Flick waited until the 90+1 minute to make a substitution, giving Victor just three minutes to make an impact.
These delayed substitutions have not only limited the effectiveness of Barcelona’s response to match situations but also raised questions about the tactical decisions of the manager.
As the team’s form continues to dip, it is crucial for Hansi Flick to reassess his approach to managing in-game situations and make quicker, more effective decisions to secure results.