“We want to play to our DNA,” manager insists
Hansi Flick has defended his commitment to attacking football after Barcelona’s 3-3 draw away to Club Brugge in the Champions League.
Barcelona were forced to come from behind three times at the Jan Breydel Stadium, with all three Brugge goals exploiting the high defensive line that has become a hallmark of Flick’s system.
The result extended the Catalan side’s run without a clean sheet to nine matches, their longest stretch without one in more than a decade.
Asked whether he might consider reining in the team’s adventurous style, Flick said: “We can make it like this, that we make a low block and defend in the first third, or we go on our way, our philosophy, how we want to do it and make things much better. When there is no intensity, you have no chance in the Champions League.”
Flick insisted that attacking was Barcelona’s identity and he would not abandon it for short-term results.
“We want to play to our DNA. We don’t want a low block and transitions to win 1-0. We came back after every goal, this is positive, but we have to speak about this match.
“In midfield, we have not the pressure on the ball and we don’t win the duels, so it’s not easy for our last line to defend these fast players. We have to work on that.”
Barcelona’s defending has been under scrutiny all season, and the manner of the draw in Belgium against an opponent they were expected to beat did little to quiet criticism.
But when pressed, Flick said: “It’s not the way to change. We are Barcelona and we want to play our football.
“The style is to be active and have intensity, with and against the ball. At the moment, in some moments, we miss it. This is not about the philosophy.”
