Flick Defends Barcelona's Style After Club Brugge Draw: "We Are Barcelona, We Will Stick to Our Philosophy"

Hansi Flick has rejected claims that Barcelona's defensive issues stem from his preferred playing style, which relies on a high defensive line and pressing opponents in their own half. Barcelona has conceded numerous goals both last season and this season, most recently three goals against Belgian side Club Brugge in a 3-3 draw on Wednesday, during Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Following the match, Flick stated: "The issue isn't solely about defending in the last line, but also in midfield. We failed to press the ball carrier effectively and lost many duels, particularly in the middle of the park. For me, we are one team, and we need to discuss many aspects."

Commenting on his team's defensive "fragility," Flick added: "We didn't press well in midfield, and when you don't win duels, it becomes difficult for the last defensive line to cope with fast attackers. We must analyze everything, speak with the players, and strive for improvement."

He then reaffirmed his belief in his playing style: "We can defend in the final third of the pitch, but we will continue to work with our philosophy because we are capable of implementing it better. Club Brugge delivered an excellent performance, as I expected, and I informed the players of that. We want to play according to our ideas. A 3-3 draw is not the ideal result for us, but the positive aspect is that we came back three times. Nevertheless, we need to discuss all of this."

He added: "The solution is not to change. We are Barcelona. Our philosophy is based on activity and intensity, both with and without the ball. We need to work more on that. When all the injured players return, we will see how things unfold."