According to reports, Barcelona’s Hans-Dieter Flick has always prided himself on fostering a family-like atmosphere. The German coach has repeatedly emphasized the camaraderie and unity within the squad this season. However, the match against Celta Vigo revealed that not everything is as harmonious as it seems.

Amid this apparent cohesion, there are dissatisfied players. Those overlooked by Flick have made their frustrations clear through their actions—actions that are particularly noticeable at this critical stage of the season when unity is paramount for success.

Ansu Fati, after being left on the bench against Celta, kicked the dugout in frustration. Hector Fort also refused to shake hands with Flick when the coach tried to explain his lack of playing time.

Flick responded: “I can understand players being upset. Everyone wants to prove they can contribute and be part of the team. I get that, but not their reactions. The reaction I want to see is when they play.”

A Step Forward

The German coach had two choices: punish the players by benching them further or challenge them by giving them a starting role. He chose the latter—and it was the right decision. Ansu Fati had not started a La Liga match since October 20 against Sevilla and had not played a single minute since November 10 against Real Sociedad.

Barcelona’s No. 10 was actively involved in his second start and, despite lacking match rhythm, worked hard. He took three shots but couldn’t score. Nevertheless, he showed he can be valuable in this decisive phase of the season. Before the Mallorca game, Fati had only played 125 minutes in four La Liga matches. He was substituted in the 60th minute for Raphinha—this time shaking hands with Flick without issue.

Hector Fort had not played since the La Liga match against Real Sociedad and was deployed at left-back—a position where Xavi Hernandez also used him despite being right-footed.

Fort was exhausted by the end but delivered a solid performance. He contributed effectively in attack and defended responsibly, gradually improving. Gavi commented: “I’m really happy for the players who hadn’t played in a while. They were excellent.”