Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has voiced his frustration over the scheduling of Thursday’s La Liga clash against Osasuna, which comes immediately after the international break. While the German tactician attempted to remain measured in his response, he made it clear that he is “not happy” with the situation.
The fixture was originally set to take place in early March but was postponed following the tragic passing of Barça’s first-team doctor, Carles Miñarro. Now, the rearranged game adds further strain to an already packed schedule, with Barcelona set to play seven matches in just 20 days.
Adding to the challenge, Barça will be without key players Raphinha and Ronald Araújo, who are returning late from World Cup qualifiers in South America.
“I don’t want to speak about my reaction, I think it’s not good,” Flick admitted during his pre-match press conference. “Players have played for their national teams, but we have to play this match. We can speak about if it’s the right time to play this tomorrow…”
The Barça boss also pointed out another scheduling issue, questioning the decision to have his team play Leganés away at 9 p.m. on April 12, just days before their Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Borussia Dortmund.
“We can also speak about playing Leganés away at 9 p.m. [on April 12 before the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund]. When we play away, it’s always at 9 p.m., so we arrive back late in the night,” Flick said.
“It’s to do with recovery for the players. I am not happy with this. When you see other leagues with Champions League teams, it’s different to here.
“When you play Champions League, it’s not about Real Madrid against Barça, it’s about protecting your Spanish teams. But we play, no excuses.”
Despite his frustration, Flick made it clear that Barcelona will not use the congested fixture list as an excuse.
“We accept this. It’s a task for UEFA, for FIFA that they say after international breaks it’s necessary that players have three days rest. LaLiga say we have to play and we say ‘Yes, we do it.'”
While Barça will push forward and take on the challenge, Flick’s comments highlight ongoing concerns about fixture congestion and player welfare. As the season reaches its decisive phase, managing fatigue will be crucial for Barcelona’s ambitions in both LaLiga and the Champions League.
