Hansi Flick has been critical of his players on several occasions this season, particularly after the draw with Rayo last time out when he warned the team “egos kill success.”
The coach’s words have reportedly been met with surprise in the locker room and his criticism is “neither understood nor shared by the players,” according to Marca.
Indeed his comments are said to have “generated tension and some confusion” as the players are simply baffled by the criticism and consider it unfair.
The word is that the players are not going to argue with Flick but are hoping he will clarify what he meant after the international break when the team is back together again.
Spain team-mate Pedri was a little more guarded but certainly seemed a little unsure of what Flick had meant, telling a press conference “I don’t know who he was referring to. He’ll talk to us about it when the time comes.”
Flick will certainly want his players firing on all cylinders when they do return, with fixtures against Valencia and Newcastle in the Champions League up next.