Barcelona boss Hansi Flick will have plenty on his mind as he prepares his side for the Champions League opener against Newcastle United.
Spanish newspaper [**Mundo Deportivo**](https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20250908/1002527822/trabajo-flick-parentesis-selecciones.html) reports that the German coach faces several problems just as the calendar becomes especially demanding.
With the international break over, Flick finally has most of his squad available again, but there are seven matches in three weeks before the next pause.
That run includes a trip to St James’ Park to meet Newcastle United, followed by Paris Saint-Germain. The pressure is on for Barcelona to recover the standards that brought them three trophies last season.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Flick has already criticised his players publicly. He highlighted a lack of intensity in the 3-0 win over Mallorca and warned about “egos” undermining the collective effort after a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano. The coach is pushing for the same aggressive pressing that made the side so dominant last year.
Defensive stability is another major concern. The departure of Íñigo Martínez has left uncertainty at centre-back. Pau Cubarsí has partnered Ronald Araujo in one game and Eric García in another, while Andreas Christensen has also been tried, but none of the pairings have convinced. Meanwhile, midfield errors and struggles against packed defences have created further problems.
Barcelona’s upcoming fixtures make for a tricky spell. They host Valencia, then travel to Newcastle, before matches against Getafe, Oviedo, Real Sociedad, PSG and Sevilla.
With Flick still searching for solutions and several key players only just returning from international duty, the Catalan side may arrive at St James’ Park short of their best.
That could give Newcastle a real chance to claim an important result against one of Europe’s biggest sides.