How Hansi Flick’s inventions are saving Barcelona once again
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FC Barcelona returned to winning ways in an emphatic fashion, securing a 6-1 win over Deportivo Alaves.
The Catalan attack was totally dominant on the night, with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha bagging a brace while Anthony Gordon and Fermin Lopez also chipped with major contributions.
While the attack made the headline, what was particularly impressive about Barcelona’s win was Hansi Flick’s inventive nature.
Flick’s inventions vs Alaves
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick is an inventor at Barcelona now more than ever as the club deal with an apparent injury crisis in defence.
Farinas had a strong outing vs Alaves. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The Catalans are without the likes of Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde and Xavi Espart in defence, forcing Flick to look for alternatives.
Against Alaves, his first big invention was to play Frenkie de Jong as a centre-back. The Dutchman, who is now back to full fitness, had been training in the position in the weeks leading up to this game.
The Dutchman finally appeared as a centre-back vs Alaves, producing a solid enough display. Another key invention was deploying Brian Farinas, a central midfielder, in the right back position. The youngster also had a solid game, as Flick himself acknowledged.
A common theme this season
Flick’s ingenuity has saved Barcelona this season. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
This is not the first time Barcelona have had to rely on Hansi Flick’s inventive nature to save themselves, amid a financial crisis and mounting injuries.
When Barcelona were unable to secure Julian Alvarez in the summer, Flick was able to naturalise Raphinha as a false nine and the move has worked splendidly.
The same can be said for Espart, a right-back, who has now become Barcelona’s go-to option in the left-back position.
De Jong and Farinas are now the latest entrants to Flick’s list of inventions, which have kept Barcelona afloat and they won’t be the last ones this season either.
That is perhaps why it will be important for Barcelona to bring in some reinforcements in January, especially in the defensive department.