Flick’s Team Reliance on Pedri and Inigo Martinez
Dortmund’s Lesson to Barcelona: Without These Two Stars, Never!
Barcelona’s defeat against Dortmund once again showed how heavily the team relies on the brilliant performances of Pedri and Inigo Martinez.
Barcelona struggled much more than expected against Borussia Dortmund. The advantage Flick’s team had in Montjuïc suggested an easy match where they would comfortably advance to the next round. However, the opposite happened. Barça was not the 2025 team, committing numerous passing errors and failing to control the rhythm of the game.
The result was Dortmund taking the lead after 11 minutes and being 3-1 ahead with 20 minutes left. Barcelona endured more hardship than necessary but ultimately reached the semifinals—a significant achievement as they hadn’t reached this stage in six years. Despite Tuesday night’s poor performance, the Blaugrana deserved to be in this stage based on their previous performances.
However, this match left important lessons for Flick. The German coach wanted to rest some of his players. He left Inigo Martinez out to avoid a yellow card and suspension for the semifinal. Pedri also started from the bench as he needed rest after several consecutive matches.
What this match showed was that these two players are currently irreplaceable. Inigo brings immense confidence to the defensive line, not just due to his quality but also his ability to command teammates, especially younger players.
He is currently the key figure in defense. Additionally, Araujo is not in his best form. He is not the same player as last year, still recovering from an injury sustained last summer, which was evident in the goal conceded against Dortmund.
Pedri’s absence was also predictable. This was evident in the match against Atletico Madrid when Flick substituted him, and Barcelona conceded two late goals due to their inability to control the game. The same story repeated against Dortmund, as no one could provide the necessary calmness, retain possession, or prevent the opponent from creating danger. Fermin and Gavi, while stronger defensively, struggle more in controlling the game’s flow.
It’s important to draw such conclusions in such matches. The undeniable success of reaching the Champions League semifinals should not overshadow the many mistakes made against Dortmund—lessons they can apply in upcoming matches.
