Mundo Deportivo: Flick's Barcelona are targeting the Champions League, and Spider is not indispensable

Barcelona are about to begin their new Champions League campaign, and Mundo Deportivo has analyzed Flick's tactics and the characteristics of the new signings.

All of Barcelona's sporting decisions made this summer were carried out with the Champions League starting tomorrow as the focus. That is the reality. In terms of transfers, the only move that was not completed was for Julian Alvarez, but it has already been proven that the deal was not that important; departures, tactical adjustments, and the characteristics of the new signings are reflected not only in the style of play, but also in individual qualities.

Flick wants to make the final improvements and truly challenge for this top European competition. In the past two seasons, he led the team to dominant league runs, but in the Champions League they were always just short. The German coach has drawn some conclusions: the team needs stronger pressing, to win the ball back near the opponent's penalty area, and immediately accelerate to complete attacks; the team must also be more mature when handling certain stages of matches and specific situations.

To strengthen pressing and speed, Gordon and Adeyemi arrived; to improve experience, Barcelona signed the world's best midfielder Rodri, and this transfer was also described as being easily delivered to Barcelona by Real Madrid and Florentino. Today's Barcelona is the highest-intensity version of Flick's system: stronger pressure, more direct progression, greater threat and more goals. The new attacking trio brings firepower, while Rodri provides balance and experience. According to data from the opening rounds of matches, this is already the best Barcelona under Flick. They have taken 12 points from 4 matches, scored 17 goals and conceded 2, compared with 10 points, 13 goals and 3 conceded at the same stage last season, and 12 points, 13 goals and 3 conceded two years ago. Facing a Champions League campaign that has been studied by the German coach more thoroughly than ever before, everything is in Barcelona's favor.