Hansi Flick Addresses Goalkeeper Situation as Barcelona Prepares for Sevilla

Barcelona will walk into the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan without Joan Garcia, and with a goalkeeping decision Hansi Flick has no intention of sharing.

Garcia picked up a knee problem against Racing Santander and will sit out the trip to Sevilla. The call, Flick insisted, was made as a group once the medical staff delivered their verdict.

“We always make decisions together. When the doctors told us what was wrong with him – it’s not very serious, but he needs to rest – we decided he should rest.”

That absence leaves the door open for Wojciech Szczesny or Dominik Livakovic. The question dominated the press room. The answer was ice-cold.

“You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Szczesny’s title pedigree vs Livakovic’s push

The choice is not a simple one. Szczesny carries the weight of last season’s La Liga title on his gloves. His experience, his presence, his saves in decisive moments – all of it still fresh in Flick’s mind.

“We won La Liga with Szczesny; it was largely thanks to him. For us, he’s a fabulous goalkeeper with a wealth of experience.”

Yet Flick made sure Livakovic’s name was not framed as a mere understudy.

“I think it’s very important to have quality. I think that, with [Dominik] Livakovic, we also have a top-class goalkeeper – that’s just the way it is.”

The conversation inevitably turned to Szczesny’s costly mistake against Racing. Flick cut off any attempt to turn it into a saga.

“I’ve already told him that we all make mistakes. He made a mistake and he’s aware of it; it won’t happen again.”

Then came a broader hint at how the staff see the hierarchy and the adaptation process.

“I think that, right now, the situation with Tek is that he knows what our philosophy is. And Dominik has just played; he’s adapting to our approach. And that’s the issue.

“He can play, he’s ready to play, and that’s what we have to consider. But we always look out for what’s best for the team, not for one player.”

The message was clear: the badge first, names second.

Return to Sevilla, different Barcelona

Barcelona go back to a stadium that stung them last season. Same ground, different version of this team, Flick argued.

“I have to say, first of all, that I think we’re now at a different level to where we were last year. But every match starts at 0–0 and Sevilla, especially at home, are playing very well.

“They defend man-to-man and will try to press in those situations. For us, it will be important to play with confidence and move the ball out wide.”

The tactical warning was matched by a physical one. The calendar is packed, the legs are heavy, and Flick knows the margins in these stretches are often decided between games, not during them.

“We’re working on that every day. Recovery is a very important part of it and we’re managing our workload very well. And that’s what we need to keep doing. For me, that’s the key.

“We’ve got a lot of matches coming up and we need to keep recovery in mind.”

Adeyemi’s spark and a nod to rotation

Karim Adeyemi has injected pace and edge into Barcelona’s attack in recent weeks, and Flick did not hide his admiration.

“He’s very quick, but I don’t know if he’s the quickest player I’ve ever coached. Alphonso Davies is similar. But he’s a good lad, a good person, and he has a lot of respect for the dressing room.

“Everyone loves him dearly. His performances make things easier.

“I’m really glad he chose us. I’ll put my trust in him and I’m 100% behind Karim. We’ll see more matches like the one on Wednesday.”

That trust does not mean a fixed XI. Rotation is here to stay, even for big names like Gabriel Jesus.

“We’ll see, but we have to keep making changes to manage each player’s minutes.

“As for whether he’ll start, it was important for him to rest against Racing. For now, that’s all I can say.”

The hint was subtle but firm: nobody is guaranteed anything, not in this run of fixtures.

Flick pushes for higher standards

Away from individuals, Flick’s tone hardened when asked about the internal environment. He likes the direction. He does not yet like the level.

“I think it’s not just my job, but that of the entire coaching staff. We work together, with positive energy.”

Then he stripped away the gloss.

“To be honest, I’m not entirely happy with this at the moment because we’re only just starting the process and there’s room for improvement.

“But right now I’m not 100 per cent satisfied because we always demand a lot and we need to improve things.”

The demand for more runs through every line of his analysis, right down to the way Barcelona press from the front.

Raphinha, captain of the press

Raphinha’s transformation into a central reference point has been one of Flick’s clearest tactical stamps. Wearing the armband and leading the line, he has become the trigger for Barcelona’s defensive work.

“If you look at the last two seasons, we always started the press with the ‘number 9’. And he has that hunger, that drive and that attitude to start the press exactly as we need him to.

“Not only is he excellent in attack, but he’s also excellent in defence. He’s the one who starts the press. As captain, he leads the way and the rest follow him,” he concluded.

Now comes Sevilla, a hostile stadium, a missing first-choice keeper and a coach who refuses to hide behind excuses. The level, Flick keeps saying, is higher than last year.

The question is whether his players can prove it when the whistle blows at 0–0.