Hansi Flick is not afraid to face his stars and demand discipline from his players. It is no secret that since his arrival at FC Barcelona, the German coach has changed many aspects of the Blaugrana team, not only in the game, but also in the working model, so all the players have had to adapt to the rules of their new guide.
And everything he has implemented seems to be working. The team has achieved a full house of victories in the first four rounds of LaLiga and is the only team to get 12 out of 12 points. Under Flick's direction they have managed to beat Valencia (1-2), Athletic Club (2-1), Rayo Vallecano (1-2) and Valladolid (7-0) for a balance of 13 goals for and 3 against. All this leaves them leaders of the standings with a 4-point advantage over Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid and Villarreal.
Flick demands discipline from Barça players
But this success is not a coincidence and Flick knows it. As a good German, he is extremely disciplined and does not want to make mistakes. Therefore, he has imposed a very high level of demand, as is expected in a top European team. In case a player breaks the rules, he must take responsibility for the consequences. Although it is not a military regime and the coach wants to stay close to his players, he does demand respect and wants everyone to collaborate to achieve the team's objectives.
Right now, the German has a group that combines veteran players who are well established in Europe with young footballers who are taking their first steps in the sport, so he knows that he has to make everything clear in the first few months to avoid problems. Therefore, he has been forced to call the attention of some 'heavyweight' of the team in case there is a case of indiscipline.
The coach 'punishes' the 'heavyweights' of the team
According to information from 'Mundo Deportivo', a call to attention occurred weeks ago. Flick has implemented several days of double training sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. In one of these sessions, one of the best players in the squad arrived late, so he did not hesitate to reprimand him in front of the rest of the team and the staff.
This also happened to Lamine Yamal. In the case of the young Spaniard, he arrived late to the pre-training talk and was punished with a tunnel of slaps. Lateness is not liked by Flick and his staff at all, so he will have no qualms about criticizing and reprimanding any player who deviates from the established plan.
The German coach will work this week with a reduced group after players such as Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Ter Stegen and Lewandowski were called up by their national teams. The players who are fit will begin their preparation prior to the match against Girona, where winning will be an obligation after they failed to win in the two matches they played last season.