Hansi Flick Avoids Comparisons Between Barcelona and His Bayern Munich Legacy

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Deportivo Alaves v FC Barcelona - Estadio Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain - October 6, 2024 FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski scores their second goal past Deportivo Alaves' Antonio Sivera REUTERS/Vincent West
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Hansi Flick, the head coach of Barcelona, is steering his team to an impressive start this season, recently securing a 3-0 victory over Deportivo Alaves that places them at the top of LaLiga. However, Flick is cautious about drawing parallels between his current squad and his highly successful tenure at Bayern Munich.

Flick, who guided Bayern to a treble during the 2019-20 season, has taken the reins at Barcelona after a stint as the German national team coach. Under his leadership, Barcelona has emerged as the most prolific scoring team in Spain. Despite this success, Flick emphasizes that it is premature to compare his Barcelona squad to the one he had at Bayern.

“I don’t like making those comparisons,” Flick stated in a recent press conference. “This team is different, and the situation is different. While things look positive now, I know how quickly circumstances can shift in football.” He praised the team’s performance and the positive atmosphere in the dressing room, highlighting their collective effort rather than focusing solely on results.

In the recent match, Polish striker Robert Lewandowski showcased his skills by scoring a hat-trick, bringing his total to 10 goals in LaLiga and 12 across all competitions this season. Flick expressed his admiration for Lewandowski, noting, “He is the same player I knew in Munich and the best in the box. What he does is fantastic; he’s always ready to score.” He acknowledged the contributions of the entire team in supporting Lewandowski’s outstanding form.

Flick also highlighted the importance of tactical preparation, stating, “In the first half, we didn’t make any mistakes and prevented Alaves from playing their game, which was key to our victory.”

The only setback from the match was the injury to forward Ferran Torres, who left the field shortly after the game began. Flick indicated concern about the nature of Torres’ injury, suggesting it may be muscular. “We still don’t know the full extent, but we’ll assess it with medical tests,” he said, expressing hope that the team can recover injured players during the upcoming international break.

As Barcelona continues its campaign, Flick remains focused on building a cohesive unit, understanding that each match is an opportunity for growth and improvement.