What Hansi Flick told his Barcelona players in hour-long meeting ahead of Levante clash

Barcelona’s Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training ground fell silent on Thursday morning as Hansi Flick convened his squad for an hour-long meeting designed to halt a slide that began with the 2-1 loss to Girona. The German coach, who granted his players two days of rest after that setback, used the gathering to dissect recent defeats and to lay down non-negotiables for the remainder of the campaign.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Flick opened by reaffirming his commitment to the high-pressing, possession-based blueprint that has characterised his tenure. He informed the squad he will not abandon the philosophy, but he demanded they “recover their intensity, tactical discipline, and effectiveness” if the system is to flourish. Video clips of the first-half display against Atlético were shown as a cautionary tale; Flick warned that a repeat of that disjointed performance would derail the club’s ambitions.

The 58-year-old emphasised that improved positioning during the press is central to the fix. By squeezing play higher up the pitch, he believes opponents will be denied the space that has allowed them to manufacture chances in recent weeks. The message was clear: collective defensive diligence starts with the first line of pressure, not the back four.

With Levante visiting at the weekend, Flick concluded the session by setting four immediate objectives—tactical discipline, intensity, decisiveness, and efficiency. He reminded the squad that while Barcelona have won all 16 of their LaLiga meetings with Levante at home, the reverse fixture this season required a stoppage-time own goal to secure a 3-2 victory. The narrow escape underlined the danger of complacency.

Players left the training complex aware that standards must rise; Flick’s parting words expressed confidence that the season’s narrative can still be shaped by silverware if the group responds with the required reaction.