Barcelona’s revival: Aided by Flick’s pragmatism, the might of La Masia and a sprinkle of luck

German pragmatism and discipline. FC Barcelona’s traditional, expressive fair. On paper, there shouldn’t be a sync between the two. At least, not as much as it has.

When Hansi Flick was named as Xavi Hernandez’s successor, even the most optimistic of fans wouldn’t have imagined the team to be as explosive and entertaining as it has. Barcelona has scored 116 goals across all competitions this season so far (as of February 23, 2025), six more than the 110 goals it managed in 2023-24.

In fact, the last time the Catalan club scored more goals (125 in 2020-21), Lionel Messi was running rampant in Europe.

It’s streak this season? Incredible. The underlying numbers? Delicious.

Maximising potential

Flick won seven titles, including two Bundesligas and a Champions League, in his two seasons at Bayern Munich. While he had all the right credentials and looked like a good bet for Barcelona, he had also walked into a chaotic club that finished a distant second to Real Madrid in 2023-24.

When the former German national team head coach landed in Spain, he inherited a club that was pinching pennies. The Blaugrana did its best all summer to recruit Nico Williams before it had to give up due to its inability to meet the financial demands of the transfer.

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And when it did manage to sign a player, Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig, what followed was a long, tiring saga to register him. At the same time, arch rival Real Madrid, ironically, was polishing the latest jewel in its Galacticos 2.0 crown – Kylian Mbappe.

With resources lacking, Flick turned to the only options he had: making the most of the players at his disposal and dipping into La Masia to unearth the next generational star. Or two.

While many a million were needed to sign Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, the rest of the star cast all have the ‘Barca DNA’ in them. They all came through the club’s famed youth system that has time and again produced some of the most technically gifted players in the world.

Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal, Marc Casado, Fermin Lopez, Gavi and Hector Fort. A group that has four teenagers, with the oldest being the 22-year-old Pedri.

Combine that youthful energy and explosive style, and you get a team that can run all night long and run up a cricket score.

Flick’s go-to formation has been the 4-2-3-1, which changes to 4-3-3 according to how the contest unfolds. A compact midfield, relentless pressing, and using the width. They have all been hallmarks of the latest chapter in the club’s glorious history.

Over the years, and especially since Pep Guardiola’s time at the helm, Barca has enjoyed keeping the ball and dictating the pace of matches, and it continues to do so. It has the highest average ball possession (67.44%) in the league, with only Real Madrid (61.29%) anywhere close to it.

Cubarsi and Inigo Martínez in the defence along with Pedri and Casado in the double pivot have given the team a solid base to build their tactics around. Short, slick passes (568 per game, only behind Real Madrid’s 574) are preferred over long, raking, cross-field pings, of which there have been only 41 per game – the fewest in the league.

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This season, Barcelona has played the most key passes (313), has the most touches in the opponent’s box (817), has the best shot conversion ratio (1.62%), created the most big chances (115), and racked up the most xG (61.5).

Flick has also done well to improve the seasoned players in his squad. With fluid wide attackers around him and the freedom to find spaces between the lines, Lewandowski has also found a new lease of life. The 36-year-old, who scored 42 goals in 69 league matches before Flick’s arrival, now has 20 after 24 matches.

The Pole isn’t the only player who has seen his form improve. Raphinha, who was on the chopping block all summer, has 24 goals and 16 assists from 37 matches. For comparison, Vinicius Junior registered 25 goals and 12 assists in 2023-24, which he and Real Madrid deemed Ballon d’Or worthy, so much so that they collectively threw a hissy fit when he was beaten to the crown by Manchester City’s Rodri.

Turn back the clock to the first week of November and there was an air of invincibility around FC Barcelona. After all, it had ended the previous month with two impressive back-to-back wins. The first was the 4-1 victory against the mighty Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League. The Catalans then followed it with a 4-0 schooling of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, which felt like a seminal moment in the club’s run under Flick.

And just when it looked like the good times were about to roll again, they didn’t…

Going off the rails

Despite the good run, the German coach was quick to temper expectations.

“A team’s form fluctuates a lot over a long season. The important thing is to focus on winning the next match. The important thing is how we finish the season. We could say that our goal is to be in the top eight,” he said in early November, almost prophetically.

After the Champions League win against Crvena Zvezda in the first week of November, Barca’s league campaign nosedived. By the end of December, it lost four times and drew twice in six league outings – a run that ended with a 2-1 defeat at home to title rival Atletico.

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The 1-1 draw with Getafe after the Christmas break meant Barcelona was on its joint-worst league run in its history: six points from eight games.

From leading the league by six points after matchday 12, Barcelona found itself eight points behind Real Madrid and six behind Atletico when the dust settled on the 18th round of fixtures.

It is the kind of form that normally derails campaigns, gets heads rolling, and brings talk of a ‘much needed’ squad overhaul. However, through it all, Flick kept faith — in himself and his players. He was the anchor that kept Barcelona’s ship steady in choppy waters.

Post-Christmas cheer

Despite struggling in the league, Barcelona continued to do well in other competitions, including the Champions League. However, the team had also been dealing with a lot of injuries, both to key players and some of its most promising youngsters.

The Christmas break came at the right time, as it not only gave Flick and the players to hit the reset button but also allowed the injured players to start making a comeback. This gave the German more options off the bench, and he hasn’t been shy to use them.

Before November, Flick made substitutions at or before halftime only thrice, and twice it was because of injuries (Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Ferran Torres). The other was a tactical switch that saw Lopez replaced by Frenkie De Jong before the start of the second half against Real Madrid, a move that resulted in one of Barca’s best wins this season.

Now, with the infirmary empty, Flick has been more ruthless in making changes, changes that have almost always made a difference. Case in point the match against Sevilla on February 9, when Lopez replaced Gavi and ended up scoring with his first touch in a 4-1 win.

After the Christmas break, Barca won 16 points from a possible 18. Fortuitously, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid began to drop points, seven and nine respectively, in the same period.

Just before Christmas, on December 21, Barca, which was once the runaway leader, lost the top spot in the table following the defeat to Atletico Madrid. 58 days later, after a 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano, it regained control of the title race.

When the form dropped at the end of 2024, Barca continued to do what it does best: dominate possession, keep the passes ticking, and create chances. However, it lost its defensive stability while also finding it hard to find the back of the net at the other end. It was like a house party where the host got so obsessed with the decor and ambiance that he/she forgot to dance and have a good time.

Now, Flick’s team is back to its efficient best while continuing to entertain. Will it run away with the title? Maybe not. Should you bet against it? Only if foolish.