Barcelona have revived a lethal weapon in attack this season under Hansi Flick

Over the years, Barcelona have carved out a name for themselves as one of the best teams in playing through opposition defences with intricate passing systems and players who can break lines with their vision.

Set-pieces, however, have never historically been an overwhelming strength for the Catalans. Lionel Messi was indeed a wizard with free-kicks but the club has seldom been known as an efficient team from set-plays.

If the team’s performances this season are anything to go by, Hansi Flick has turned that around as the team is looking much more confident from dead-ball plays this campaign.

A sizeable number

Barcelona have scored a staggering 31 goals across all competitions this season in under two months of the season. Of them, ten goals have arisen from set-pieces be it corners, free-kicks, penalties or throw-ins.

Barcelona have improved their setpiece output. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Most recently, Barcelona again managed to outfox Young Boys from set-pieces time and time again at Montjuic. Inigo Martinez’s goal, after all, was an example of a perfect routine as Pedri and the defender combined magically.

The change is not surprising in any capacity, for it is something Hansi Flick is specifically training the team for this season. He sees it to be an effective tool against low-blocks to catch them off-guard.

While the team has improved in terms of indirect free-kicks and corner routines, direct free-kicks continue to be a facet the Blaugrana are struggling with.

After the departure of Lionel Messi, it took two years and two months before a Barcelona player scored again from a direct free-kick and Ferran Torres ended that streak last September.

Since then as well, only Robert Lewandowski managed to repeat the feat in May. There is a lot to improve on that front and Flick and Co. will have their eyes on the same.