With a Flick, Barcelona regains control of the title race Premium

After a dazzling start to the campaign, a youthful and inexperienced Barca lost the plot for a while; however, guided by coach Flick’s German efficiency, it has achieved what looked unthinkable during the slump: a return to the top of the standings

German pragmatism and discipline. FC Barcelona’s traditional, expressive fair. On paper, there shouldn’t be a sync between the two. At least, not as much as it has.

When Hansi Flick was named as Xavi Hernandez’s successor, even the most optimistic of fans wouldn’t have imagined the team to be as explosive and entertaining as it has. Barcelona has scored 116 goals across all competitions this season so far (as of February 23, 2025), six more than the 110 goals it managed in 2023-24.

In fact, the last time the Catalan club scored more goals (125 in 2020-21), Lionel Messi was running rampant in Europe.

It’s streak this season? Incredible. The underlying numbers? Delicious.

Flick won seven titles, including two Bundesligas and a Champions League, in his two seasons at Bayern Munich. While he had all the right credentials and looked like a good bet for Barcelona, he had also walked into a chaotic club that finished a distant second to Real Madrid in 2023-24.

When the former German national team head coach landed in Spain, he inherited a club that was pinching pennies. The Blaugrana did its best all summer to recruit Nico Williams before it had to give up due to its inability to meet the financial demands of the transfer.

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