Barcelona pulled off a tough 2-1 comeback win over Real Valladolid in La Liga. Next up, they face Real Madrid at Estadio Lluís Companys on May 11, while Valladolid will meet Mallorca a day earlier.
Barcelona is determined to minimize slip-ups in the remaining rounds to keep their La Liga title hopes alive, regardless of how their main rivals perform.
According to the Spanish outlet El Nacional, manager Hansi Flick was deeply dissatisfied with the display of his substitute players during the match. Disappointed by their poor showing, he had to bring on first-team regulars to secure the win.
The report highlighted Flick’s dissatisfaction with Ansu Fati, Pau Víctor, and Gerard Martín, believing they lack the level needed for Barcelona. As a result, he has decided to drop them from the squad for the remainder of the season. Additionally, right-back Héctor Fort was criticized for weak defensive and attacking contributions and is also set to be sidelined for the rest of the campaign — with potential for a summer departure.
Even star midfielder Dani Olmo came under fire. Despite coming off the bench, he failed to make an impact, unlike Raphinha, Yamal, and De Jong. Flick reportedly told Olmo that he won’t be in the starting XI for the second leg against Inter.
Despite his frustrations, Flick praised Ronald Araújo, calling him the standout performer of the match for his critical defensive efforts amid the team’s overall shaky defense.
