It was an emotional day at the Camp Nou, not only because supporters witnessed the first open session since the stadium's renovation, but also due to the sight of Garcia back among his teammates. For the first time since suffering an injury against Real Oviedo on September 25, the young shot-stopper trained alongside the group in front of 23,000 enthusiastic fans. His presence was met with loud cheers as he stepped onto the pitch, symbolising another step forward in his recovery.
Of all of the top teams in Europe, Barcelona under manager Hansi Flick is the most addicted to the offside trap. The high-risk, high-reward defense has been Flick's trademark as a manager, and Barcelona has, by both design and necessity, adopted it with striking intensity. Flick's mantra is simple: Play a high line, try to catch opponents offside, and if and when it fails, just out-score them on the other end. This, I'd say, broadly worked last season.
Barcelona will be without one of their most consistent defenders this weekend, as Eric Garcia is unlikely to be risked for the trip to Balaidos to face Celta Vigo. According to Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick has decided not to take any risks with the centre-back after he suffered a broken nose during the dramatic late stages of the Champions League clash against Club Brugge. The incident occurred deep into stoppage time when Garcia accidentally clashed heads with Romeo Vermant. Immediately after the collision, the defender made his condition clear to his teammates and the medical staff.
In what was a significant milestone for the club, Barcelona have finally announced the return date for the iconic Camp Nou stadium on November 7. The club are expected to hold training session in the renovated stadium on the date, two days ahead of their La Liga contest against league contest against Celta Vigo. Date was set on Hansi Flick's wishes
The departure of Inigo Martinez has hurt FC Barcelona more than they might have anticipated in the ongoing season. The veteran centre-back was not only a leader on the pitch, but also the ideal fit to execute Hansi Flick's high-line tactics and offside trap - something that the club have struggled with of late, while he was also the only left-footed central defender in the squad.
This worrying trend reflects a growing fragility in Flick's setup. Barcelona's high defensive line and pressing style - central to the German coach's philosophy - often leave them exposed when the collective pressure fails. While the intention to dominate high up the pitch is clear, the execution has faltered. Opponents who bypass the press easily find space behind, as seen in recent matches against Sevilla (13 shots, 5 on target), Girona (8 shots, 4 on target), and Real Madrid (23 shots, 10 on target).
Fermin put in a great performance. Three goals, the first one was very important to open the scoring. He's a player who has it all: he's dynamic and we need his speed too. The first thing is that we won today, which is the important thing, and that has to give us confidence for that game. It's a huge game. There's not much time to waste. We're going to recover, and we have to be ready.
