Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has pointed to a disruptive trip to Seville as a possible reason behind his team’s lack of freshness during their recent run of defeats, with a report from Sique Rodriguez also suggesting the German was annoyed with the squad’s leaders over the handling of the return journey.
Barcelona eventually had to remain in Seville overnight because of adverse weather, disrupting their recovery schedule before a demanding run of fixtures.
The issue resurfaced after Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid, which ended their unbeaten start to the La Liga season.
Flick’s side had already suffered a 4-2 Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, and the manager believes the physical demands of the schedule have affected the team’s ability to maintain its usual intensity.
Flick highlights Barcelona travel problems after Seville trip
According to Sique Rodríguez, Barcelona’s players wanted to return home immediately after their match against Real Betis rather than spend the night in Seville.
The resulting delay left the squad waiting on the plane for around four hours before weather conditions forced them to stay overnight and travel back to Barcelona the following day.
Flick was not happy with Barcelona’s travel plans. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Flick referred to the disruption when addressing Barcelona’s performance after the El Clasico defeat, although he was reluctant to use it as an excuse for the result.
“In Seville, we spent three hours on the plane, then we stayed there to sleep. But I don’t want to talk about that now if we’ve lost,”said the manager.
The report also indicates that Flick was unhappy with the team’s senior figures over the situation, although the precise nature of his frustration has not been publicly established in the information available.
Barcelona fatigue concerns grow after PSG defeat and El Clasico loss
The Seville disruption came during a demanding period for Barcelona, who had limited time to recover before travelling to Paris for their Champions League meeting with PSG.
Their subsequent 4-2 defeat exposed defensive problems and a team that struggled to impose itself consistently.
Barcelona had very little time to recover for crucial games. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Against Real Madrid, Barcelona again found it difficult to sustain their usual intensity, eventually losing 2-1.
The result ended their unbeaten start in La Liga and increased scrutiny of their performances during a congested run of fixtures.
A growing injury list has added to the pressure on Flick, limiting his options as he attempts to manage workloads and maintain competitive standards across domestic and European football.
Travel disruption alone does not explain the defeats, particularly against opponents capable of exploiting tactical and technical weaknesses.
Nevertheless, recovery time can become an important factor when matches arrive in quick succession and several players are unavailable.