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Examining Hansi Flick’s Rock ‘n Roll Version of Total Football at Barcelona

January 3, 2025
Opinion

After 14 rounds of Spanish La Liga games, Barcelona have scored 42 goals. That, as amateur mathematicians will concur, is an average of three goals per game… which makes it very difficult for anybody to beat the Catalan giants. Or, at least, it did: both Osasuna and Real Sociedad have now defeated Hansi Flick’s side in domestic action, while Celta Vigo came from 0-2 down to snatch a point in their November 23 clash.

 

But, on the whole, Barcelona have come on leaps and bounds under Flick, with the German bringing a blast of rock ‘n’ roll to the total football stylings of the Barcelona head coaches that came before them.

 

Non Stop Action

 

Under the likes of Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola, Barcelona strangled their opposition by keeping the ball, switching play from one side of the pitch to the other and then picking holes in the lines with expert precision.

 

But under Flick, it’s all about heavy metal high pressing, quick passing interchanges and – dare we say it – some long ball football thrown in for good measure.

 

It’s yielded a scenario in which Barca averaged exactly three goals scored per game and a goal conceded per 90 minutes, which is great news for neutral fans and lovers of the beautiful game.

 

It’s those performances that have an impact on Barcelona’s match odds, both pre-game and in the live football betting. In the midst of such strong form, Flick’s side are priced much shorter by the bookmakers to win games… and even if they go a goal behind, there’s still a strong feeling that they will come back and secure a draw – if not a win – over the course of a 90-minute match.

 

That notion is franked by the stats, too. More than half (59%) of Barcelona’s La Liga outings so far have witnessed four or more goals scored, with both teams scoring in 71% of their games and Barca finding the net in the second half in 76%. Those numbers confirm why the live odds can fluctuate so wildly during the Catalan giants’ matches.

 

 

 

It’s a far cry from the rather more pedestrian style of the German’s predecessor, Xavi. After 14 La Liga games in 2023/24, Barcelona had conceded 14 goals as well but only scored 27, while being three points worse off.

 

And, of course, the La Liga title race was effectively over by Christmas: Barca losing the first El Clasico game while also dropping points against the likes of Getafe, Mallorca, Granada and Rayo Vallecano.

 

In the end, the gap to Real Madrid come the end of the season of ten points was so emphatic that Xavi, despite being a club legend, simply had to go.

Renaissance Men

 

In the two seasons that Flick managed Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich, the Polish striker scored 55 and 48 goals respectively; truly jaw-dropping numbers.

 

Last season, Lewandowski would only contribute 19 goals to Barca’s La Liga effort. This term, reunited with Flick, he’s notched 15 times before the end of November.

 

It’s no secret why. Flick demands that his teams play high up the pitch in the opposition’s half, with plenty of bodies piling forward. It means that creative talents occupy pockets of space from one flank to the other… leaving Lewandowski to do what he does best; occupy the penalty area and take the chances that come his way.

 

Flick has also found a way to elevate Raphinha’s game to new heights. Last season, the mercurial Brazilian mustered six goals and nine assists on La Liga duty; this term, he’s served up eight goals and six assists after barely a third of the campaign.

 

 

 

Jules Koundé, nominally a central defender under Xavi, has been a revelation at full back under Flick, bombing forward and delivering five assists.

 

Collectively, there’s an identity and an energy under Flick that wasn’t there with Xavi, who tried his best to imitate the classic Barcelona style without ever really getting close to capturing it.

 

Flick, meanwhile, is doing things his way, combining the heavy metal forward motion of his compatriot, Jurgen Klopp, with the fluidity and rotations of Cruyff and Guardiola during their silverware-laden spells at Camp Nou.

 

On the evidence so far, Flick could be set to bring more trophies home to Barcelona.

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