Hansi Flick planning crucial tactical change at Barcelona – report

Having officially severed ties with Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez, the club is ready to embark on a new adventure this summer.

The Catalan giants are set to entrust managerial duties to Hansi Flick, whose appointment is anticipated to be made public soon.

Flick’s tenure at Bayern Munich was largely successful, with the German manager winning a ‘sextuple’ most notably.

As such, it is expected that he will be vying to emulate many of the principles he preached at Bayern Munich.

Barcelona could observe a systematic overhaul

Indeed, as per SPORT a crucial factor that could shape the future of Barcelona’s planning is the system that Flick will implement.

Barça have invariably opted for a 4-3-3 formation, but Xavi Hernandez recently tilted toward a four-midfielder configuration.

This tactical change paid off handsomely, as they won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup the previous season.

4-2-3-1 incoming at Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Flick, however, prefers a double pivot system, which he aims to introduce at Barça, despite the team’s traditionally offensive approach.

As such, Barcelona are keeping their eyes peeled for a top-quality defensive midfielder this summer.

Although Guido Rodriguez is a strong contender for this role, the Catalans may decide to recruit another star player to further strengthen the midfield.

As part of the double pivot, Flick will have a host of players to choose from, with the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Ilkay Gundogan all well-suited to play off a defensively robust midfielder.

Flick’s main goal for the season is to assemble a better-balanced team that can play well in key games and stand up to physically stronger opponents. After all, his work with Bayern Munich transformed the team physically, as was testified in their 8-2 win over Barcelona.