Hansi Flick stung by recurring frustration with Barcelona squad in PSG defeat | OneFootball

Barcelona succumbed to defeat in what was the headline clash of the week against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The European champions scored a last-minute winner through Goncalo Ramos to take the victory, beating Barcelona’s press and high line.

PSG required two goal-line clearances to avoid a conceding a second, but ended up dominating the second half, as noted by several Blaugrana players. Meanwhile in the press conference after the match, Hansi Flick noted that his players had to learn to defend, attack and use spaces at the same level as PSG.

Hansi Flick’s primary source of frustration

The manner of the defeat pricked Flick in the spot where it hurts the German manager most though, as per Sport. They note that his main frustration with the squad is their management of the final stages of games. Flick has been getting on at his players for some time that they must handle the closing stages of games better, knowing how to ‘kill’ games off.

Image via David Ramos/Getty Images

Against Newcastle United he was delighted with their response in stoppage time, maintaining possession, and preventing Newcastle from building up momentum. Yet PSG were the benefactors of an open game in the final stages.

Cool heads a priority for Flick

Flick is keen for his players to remain calm, focused and cool under pressure. For Ramos’ winner, Alejandro Balde was out of position as the ball went wide for Achraf Hakimi, something which irked Flick greatly  when the goal was conceded.

With PSG fresher and more comfortable in the final 10 minutes, his feeling was that Barcelona should have taken a step back and remained more difficult to break down. Certainly it was an issue for Barcelona last season, who conceded costly late goals to Inter and Atletico Madrid last season.