BARCELONA WON BY A NARROW MARGIN, COACH FLICK “HIT TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE”
Coach Hansi Flick completed two goals in Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Mallorca in round 33 of La Liga.
Without Lewandowski, Barcelona is still “healthy”
Barcelona temporarily increased the gap with Real Madrid to 7 points with a minimal victory over Mallorca, in a match where coach Flick’s students launched 40 shots but only converted 1 into a goal.
Always follow Win 100 Ph Casino to get more accurate news! Register an account via Win100 login to receive many incentives!
BARCELONA BEAT MALLORCA BY A NARROW MARGIN IN A MATCH THAT SAW MANY KEY PLAYERS RESTED
Dani Olmo was the only scorer, while goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny played solidly to keep Barcelona’s lead. This was the first match that the Catalans did not have the services of their main striker Robert Lewandowski due to a muscle injury.
Lewandowski was absent, with Ferran Torres being pushed into the starting position as a centre-forward. Barcelona had 24 shots in the first half alone, five of which were on target, with an expected goals (xG) of 1.94.
They were quick to shoot but lacked accuracy. This was not too surprising with the team having made many changes to save energy for the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid at the weekend.
FLICK’S BENCHES
Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Frenkie De Jong and Jules Kounde were all left on the bench by Flick. Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde and Lewandowski were left out of the squad due to injury. Despite the patchwork of players, Barcelona still bombarded Mallorca’s goal from all over the pitch.
Lamine Yamal had 10 shots on goal, while Barcelona had 40, 13 of which were on target, for a combined xG of 3.41. However, Olmo’s strike early in the second half was enough to secure all three points.
Olmo’s first season at Barcelona was often marred by injuries and registration issues. The Spanish international has made good use of his opportunity to shine in Lewandowski’s absence. He promises to play an important role in the final stages of the Catalan team’s season.
See More: Double Rewards: Exclusive Promotions From January 2 to June 30!
COACH FLICK SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF THE ATTACK
With Torres playing as a striker, Barcelona’s attacking system has many variations. Torres often swaps positions with Olmo, which makes it difficult for Mallorca’s defense to keep up.
Although he did not score, Torres still had a positive performance. He plays an important role with his ability to operate without the ball, creating space for his teammates around him to exploit.
COACH FLICK RETAINS HIS SQUAD FOR THE COPA DEL REY FINAL AGAINST REAL MADRID
This match was like a “tactical rehearsal” for coach Flick to prepare for the El Clasico at the weekend. With Raphinha, Olmo, Yamal and Torres in attack, Barcelona are capable of causing trouble for Real Madrid.
It was no coincidence that the Catalan team launched 40 shots towards Mallorca’s goal. If they can repeat this at the weekend, coach Flick’s team can completely make their arch-rivals suffer again.
According to center-back Eric Garcia, the rotation of the squad did not affect Barcelona’s playing style much. “We still created a lot of chances.
This is the type of match where if the first shot doesn’t go in, you have to keep trying, and that’s what the whole team did throughout the match,” Garcia shared after the win over Mallorca.
Propose: Lucky Spin Free 777PHP – Win100 Ph
“KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE”
Coach Flick is facing the problem of balancing between preserving his squad and winning. And so far, the German strategist is doing very well. Barcelona has won 2 consecutive matches in La Liga before entering the final of the King’s Cup and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Leaving the match against Mallorca without any more injuries and taking all 3 points is a success, at the same time proving the ability of coach Flick in his first season leading the Catalan team.
Although there is still a lot of work to do to realize the “treble”, Barcelona has taken an important step in that journey.
The first title could come to coach Flick this weekend, while the La Liga championship is also gradually within reach of him and his students.
