Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has confirmed that squad rotation will be necessary for their LaLiga home fixture against Real Sociedad on Sunday. With a congested schedule and the team competing on multiple fronts, Flick aims to keep his players fresh as they chase silverware in three competitions.
Currently, Barcelona are on a 14-match unbeaten run across LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League, maintaining their position as contenders in all three tournaments.
“Managing and adjusting to the schedule isn’t easy, but we’ll do what’s necessary. Keeping the players fresh is a priority,” Flick told reporters on Saturday, acknowledging that his squad faces four matches within the next ten days.
“Our focus remains on three competitions, and we are still in contention for all three titles. At the beginning of the season, no one expected us to be in this position by March 1,” he added.
Flick also spoke about the demanding nature of the current campaign and the adjustments made to training sessions.
“There have been numerous challenges throughout the season, so I’ve modified our training approach. In matches like the Copa del Rey clash against Valencia, we barely had time to rest, yet the team delivered an outstanding performance. We must remain focused because there are no excuses—the packed calendar leaves us with few alternatives, and it inevitably has an impact,” he explained.
Despite Barcelona conceding 25 goals this season—including four in their 4-4 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg—Flick remains confident.
“I’m not overly concerned about conceding goals. Each game is a fresh start. What’s crucial is how we channel our energy and approach the match,” said the 60-year-old.
“We saw what happened against Atletico, yet we still played well. Towards the end of the game, we invested a lot of energy. As a team, we need to improve in certain areas, and we are aware of that.”
Barcelona will be without defender Andreas Christensen on Sunday after the Danish international suffered another injury setback.
The 28-year-old missed the start of the season due to an Achilles tendon issue and later sustained a right calf injury in training this January.
“Andreas has picked up another injury, and we need to assess its severity. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, but he had to leave training early. Fortunately, we have strong defensive options,” Flick said.
“Ronald (Araujo) returned after his own injury and has been performing exceptionally well. He has all the qualities needed to reach the highest level.”
Barcelona currently sit at the top of the LaLiga table with 54 points, level with second-placed Real Madrid, while Real Sociedad occupy ninth place with 34 points.
