Barcelona's success in the 2024-2025 season cannot be missed by two words: high line. Hansi Flick always has to answer a question about the big gap between the four defenders and goalkeepers in press conferences. And the German's answer has remained almost unchanged.
"Not just the defense, but the entire squad. The important thing is to be first in attack and how we put pressure in the final third," said Flick.
In fact, what helps Barca maintain their defense is their relentless pressure. A lot of that depends on the efforts that sporting director Deco put in last summer.
In addition to appointing Flick, Deco also reformed his fitness department. He recruited Antonio Conte's former assistant Julio Tous, along with others, to help Barcelona have an impressive fitness foundation.
Tous have played a big role in improving Blaugrana's strength, fitness and preventing injuries. No team has recorded more sprints than Flick's team in La Liga this season.
They also lead the league in terms of the number of times they have regained the ball (within 5 seconds after losing the ball) with an average of 15.6 times per match, 5.5 times in the opponent's half.
As Rayo Vallecano coach Inigo Perez said, Barcelona not only has some of the best players in the world but also runs impressively fast. After being robbed by opponents, players like Raphinha will immediately appear and create pressure.
The Brazilian has always been full of energy and has reached a new level this season. Raphinha has averaged 59.2 sprints per game, compared to 38 in the previous season.
If it were not Raphinha, it would be Pedri. Flick and Tous have come up with a plan to keep the talented midfielder healthy after years of injury. And they have reaped the fruits.
Pedri only played for 1,482 minutes in La Liga last season but has played more than 2,700 minutes this season. The Spaniard leads the top five European leagues in recoveries, averaging seven per game.
"It looks dangerous, but it's not," Flick said of Barca's playing style after Real Madrid were caught making a 12-time offside foul in El Clasico last October at the Bernabeu. In total, they have successfully offside traps 169 times in La Liga this season, more than 50 times more than any other team in Europe's top five leagues.
Sometimes, it could be a risky act and cost them, especially against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals. However, this tactic often brings good results to Blaugrana. As for fans, even neutral, they are attracted by the entertainment and dedication that Flick's team brings.
With Raphinha and Lamine Yamal on the wings, Robert Lewandowski could have more touches in the box than in his first two club spells. Barca have scored 4 or more goals in 13 of their 36 matches in La Liga this season.
These impressive results have boosted Barcelona's spirit. Sources said Flick saw a talented squad but felt a lack of confidence. Of course, that is no longer true. Barca have overcome their failures this season, from being behind by 2 goals to winning or drawing in 7 matches.
Flick has led that change, but Yamal's role should not be underestimated. Although only 17 years old, as Flick said: "Yamal is not a child".
The young Spanish star has shouldered a huge amount of responsibility both on and off the pitch, including the role of DJ in the dressing room. Yamal is a typical example of the team's never-ending spirit.
The change was clearly shown in the 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in round 35 of La Liga. In recent years, the Blaugrana have always been worried about how to stop Real and not focusing on their own strengths.
They were shocked before that when they deployed Ronald Araujo as a right-back to try to stop Vinicius. Now, Eric Garcia is the chosen one, despite the presence of Kylian Mbappe. In general, there is no fear in Barcelona's diction under Flick.
