Hansi Flick faces defensive crisis before Valencia clash
Recent media reports have confirmed that Hansi Flick is facing a defensive crisis with Barcelona ahead of their upcoming match against Valencia in the Spanish La Liga.
Barcelona will face Valencia on Sunday, September 14th, in a match that will bring the two teams together as part of the fourth round of La Liga.
The Barcelona vs. Valencia match will take place at 10:00 PM Cairo and Mecca time, and 11:00 PM UAE time.
Defensive dilemma at Barcelona
Hansi Flick began his season with Barcelona with a clear defensive plan; he relied on Eric Garcia on the right flank, while the duo of Araujo and Cubarsí formed the heart of the defense, with Balde as an unstoppable left-back.
However, this setup did not convince the German coach Hansi Flick in some matches, especially in the second round against Levante after falling behind by two goals to nil.
In the match against Mallorca, where the opponent played with nine men, Barcelona seemed incapable of imposing their dominance, even nearing a draw. Araujo's control over striker Muriqi ended with the latter's sending off, leaving the midfield lines almost paralyzed.
But the Levante match revealed deeper gaps, as the team conceded two goals in the first half due to a lack of coordination between Araujo and Cubarsí in the offside trap, before Barcelona with difficulty turned the tables and emerged victorious 3-2.
Spanish newspaper “Sport” reported that Flick left the field frustrated by his team's performance, deciding to make a radical change in the match against Rayo Vallecano at the Vallecas stadium.
He placed Eric Garcia alongside Christensen at the center of defense, while Araujo and Cubarsí sat on the bench. Koundé returned to the right-back position, and Balde on the left.
Flick benefited from the readiness of the duo Garcia and Christensen, especially as the international break gave the former a chance to maintain his fitness, while the Danish defender regained his best form with full participation for his national team against Scotland and Greece, scoring a wonderful goal from outside the box.
The Spanish newspaper reported that the Achilles tendon injury that Christensen suffered last season is now in the past, and the player is once again approaching the image Barcelona had of him since his arrival from Chelsea.
In contrast, Araujo continued his brilliance with Uruguay against Chile, and Cubarsí proved his presence with the Spanish national team against Bulgaria.
And so Flick finds himself with a 'pleasant problem,' as all four center-backs are in excellent physical and technical condition, opening up multiple options for him before facing Valencia, the team's first home match of the season, followed by their European campaign opener against Newcastle.
