Barcelona face Elche on Sunday in desperate need of a result and a performance, following successive away defeats to Sevilla, and notably, Real Madrid in El Clasico. Amid an injury crisis and poor showings, Hansi Flick has a tricky job to galvanise the Blaugrana.
While Barcelona were close to equalising in the final stages against Real Madrid, they were outplayed in the first hour of the game. Any response will have to come without Pedri, and there is growing discontent within Can Barca at fitness team and their preparation of the side. Flick has drawn some conclusions from their loss to Real Madrid though, as to where things are going wrong.
Hansi Flick’s conclusions from El Clasico
In the second half against Real Madrid, Barcelona enjoyed plenty of possession, and finished the game in their half for the final 20 minutes. Yet the Blaugrana could not find a way through Real Madrid’s defence, looking out of ideas. MD say that a lack of movement from the forward line, but also the rest of the team, is part of the reason both their attack and their press have looked slow.
Another factor was the lack of ability to ‘unbalance’ the opposition defence. Without Raphinha, and with a Lamine Yamal that is struggling with injury himself, Barcelona lacked options to beat their man, and create space for their teammates. This plays into a third factor – Flick wants his players to start winning their individual battles again. Pau Cubarsi, Jules Kounde, Ferran Torres, Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford all found themselves surpassed by their counterparts on Sunday.
More game time for Ronald Araujo?
It is noted by Sport that Vice-Captain Ronald Araujo has made it clear to his manager and the club that he is happy to help wherever needed on the pitch, and for however long. Yet having been on the bench for three games in a row after being hooked at half-time against Sevilla, Araujo is ‘ready for more’. A polite way of saying he wants more game time.
Pau Cubarsí returned to group training after three days of load management and is ready to face Elche on Sunday. Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo also trained normally and are expected to receive medical clearance soon, while Lamine Yamal continues without issues. @javigasconMD
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) October 31, 2025
The good news for him is that MD note that Flick is again considering restoring the Uruguayan to central defence, with the feeling that they miss his physical prowess in those individual battles. So far he has played second fiddle to Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi, and while both have outperformed him this season, Cubarsi has still struggled.
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