Barca revives force, Flick aims to usurp Real
Yamal, Raphinha, Joan Garcia are ready to return and Pedri could return after the international break. A series of 3 consecutive home matches helps Hansi Flick aim to narrow the gap with Real to 3 points in 6 rounds.
Hansi Flick has outlined a clear roadmap: take advantage of the resurgence period to accelerate, narrow the gap by 3 points in 6 rounds and usurp Real Madrid before the end of 2025. That window opens when Barcelona is about to welcome back a series of pillars and has a more favorable schedule than its opponent.
Barcelona's recovery: the pieces return
For months, Barcelona have been living hand to mouth amid the injury storm. Lamine Yamal needed time to recover from a long-standing injury; Raphinha was out for nearly two months; goalkeeper Joan Garcia was sidelined while substitute Wojciech Szczesny showed signs of age. Pedri’s injury after El Clasico further pushed the team into a survival mode.
The squad has therefore relied on the brilliance of Fermin Lopez, the return of Frenkie de Jong, Marcus Rashford’s assists and Robert Lewandowski’s goal to maintain their winning run. Now the picture is brighter: Flick is confident of having Yamal, Raphinha, Joan Garcia and Pedri available after the international break. The first three could start against Athletic Bilbao; Pedri could return for this game or at the latest for the trip to London to face Chelsea.
The schedule opens up opportunities for a breakthrough in La Liga
The optimism at Camp Nou also comes from the schedule. Barcelona have three consecutive home games (Athletics, Alaves, Atletico Madrid), while Real Madrid have three away games (Elche, Girona, Athletic). Although Atletico is a challenge, Barca's perfect home record this season is a big support for them.
On the other hand, coach Xabi Alonso's team showed weaknesses when playing away from home, notably in the 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano. If they maintain the scoring pace at Camp Nou, Barca have a concrete opportunity to narrow and overcome the gap.
Flick's plan: narrow the gap by 3 points in 6 rounds
Flick's goal is to end 2025 at the top of La Liga. The immediate task is clearly quantified: to close the gap by 3 points in 6 rounds. In the context of Real showing a great dependence on Kylian Mbappe, maintaining home performance and taking advantage of favorable playing rhythm is decisive.
Operationally, the return of Yamal and Raphinha restores the wing-backs, giving Barca more width and depth to rotate around Lewandowski. With Pedri available, the ability to control the tempo and link up the midfield is enhanced, taking the load off Frenkie de Jong and opening up more options for Fermin Lopez.
Champions League: Stamford Bridge is a test of strength
In the Champions League, Flick's calculations are more cautious in the short term. Barcelona are currently 11th, two points off the automatic knockout places. The game at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea is an immediate measure of Barca's European competitiveness. A favourable result would allow them to enter the final three games in a better position, especially with home games against Eintracht Frankfurt and Copenhagen.
Key numbers
- 3 consecutive home games for Barcelona: Athletic, Alaves, Atletico Madrid.
- 3 consecutive away games for Real Madrid: Elche, Girona, Athletic.
- Gap to be filled: 3 points in 6 rounds.
- Champions League: Barcelona finished 11th, 2 points behind the group that qualified directly for the knockout round.
- Real exposed problems when away from home, once drawing 0-0 with Rayo Vallecano.
With the squad gradually full and the rhythm of the game favorable, Flick's plan is on the right track. The remaining answer lies in the ability to take advantage of home field and turn comebacks into specific points in each round.
