Manchester City manager urges the German to find subtle tweaks to stay ahead of opponents
Pep Guardiola has said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has what it takes to guide the club out of their recent struggles, but he must be ready to make subtle tweaks to his system when necessary.
Barcelona have suffered consecutive defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla, losing 4-1 to the latter in a poor showing just before the October international break.
The losses have also matched Barcelona’s performance in long spells this season when they have been seriously outplayed by their opponents.
In matches against Mallorca, Levante, Rayo Vallecano and lately Sevilla this season, Barcelona have had long stretches of poor performance, with Flick even locking his players in the dressing room in September in a bid to get a positive reaction out of them.
Barcelona were in red-hot form earlier this year, ultimately winning a domestic treble. Guardiola said such downturns are part of football and not a cause for panic, but warned that the team has to keep evolving.
“It’s natural that over time, opponents will find a way to hurt you,” said Guardiola. “Isn’t that the essence of the game?
“The team never stays the same forever. They’ll find a solution. And then it will be up to Hansi to find a counter to that as well.”
Guardiola, who managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 and won 14 trophies during that time, said Flick’s side only need to refine details rather than completely change their approach.
“It’s not about changing the plan,” said Guardiola. “It’s about adding new details that prevent opponents from exploiting weaknesses. In football, stagnation destroys any team.”
Despite the criticism surrounding Flick’s side, Guardiola praised Barcelona’s attacking style and intensity.
The Manchester City coach said: “Sometimes I try to analyse what Barca does. I look at how they defend, how the process works.
“Everything with them is at top speed. It’s truly enjoyable and worthy of admiration.
“I recently read that they score on average between 2.9 and 3 goals per match. To beat them, you have to score four! The truth is, it’s a really fun experience watching them.”
