Article by Daniel Grigore – Published on Thursday, 06 November 2025, 08:21 / Updated on Thursday, 06 November 2025 08:22
Barcelona drew in Belgium, 3-3 with Club Bruggea match in which the hosts speculated several times on the advanced defense of Hansi Flick. Thierry Henry declared himself dismayed by the German's stubbornness to play in this system, but the Blaugrana coach remains firm on his positions: “There is no question of changing”.
Barcelona drew in Belgium, another misstep in the League after 1-2 with PSG. It could have been worse, but the hosts were controversially disallowed for a goal in the 90th+1st minute.
Disturbed by how much his former side suffered defensively, Thierry Henry took a stand against Hansi Flick's style of play, the famous advanced defensive line, with the defenders often going up to the center of the field to catch opponents offside. It's a strategy that opponents manage to thwart more and more often.
Thierry Henry noted a big problem at Flick's Barcelona: “You're supposed to eliminate mistakes, not create them yourself!”
“I can't ignore the fact that you keep letting opponents run free towards your goal! If you haven't done your homework, that Barcelona defends high, and you don't make those late clearances… You know when Dortmund did it to them last season? Late clearances, and you miss the goal every time!
Why put yourself in this situation, cause yourself suffering? No offense to Brugge for what they did, but… You defend the ball and defend your goal.
You don't defend on the ball when there is no pressure, but instead let the opposition move left and right so that they create chances every time. It's not something you want to do. It is assumed that you want to eliminate mistakes, not create them yourself!,” Henry thundered on CBS Sports Golazo.
Hansi Flick: “There is no question of changing the style of play!”
Afterwards, Hansi Flick was asked at the press conference about the many criticisms of his style of play. The German insisted that there is no question of a change, suggesting that the absences from the team mean that expression is not at the highest level.
“Let's be serious. There is no question of changing the style of play. We're the Boat, OK? We want to play our football. Our style is to be active and have intensity, with and without the ball. In some moments it will not work out for us, but that is not about philosophy.
We must continue like this, work and you can judge us when all players are available“, commented the Blaugrana coach.
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