Hansi Flick’s ‘merit-based’ selection policy bearing fruit for Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona’s satisfying 6-0 win over Valencia this past weekend was a reminder that the Catalans, despite their topsy-turvy form early on in the season, remain the most dominant team in Spain right now.

It was also a gratifying moment for coach Hansi Flick, who admitted after the game that this is the Barcelona side he saw last season.

Flick’s words were crucial considering the fact that the German had been complaining about Barcelona’s performances in the first three matches.

Flick’s gamble finally paying off?

As reported by AS, the win over Valencia was also a reminder that Flick’s selection policy is finally coming into the picture for Barça.

Against Valencia, Flick surprised many with his starting eleven. Big names like Ronald Araujo, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, and Raphinha began on the bench.

Instead, the coach opted for Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez, and Eric Garcia. The message was clear: performance matters more than status. This is something Flick has been professing all summer, trying to establish a merit-based rotation policy.

Lewandowski scored a brace against Valencia. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Sure enough, most of Flick’s changes against Valencia weren’t linked to fitness. Raphinha was benched as he had made a long journey from Bolivia, but Eric and Pau Cubarsi were preferred to Araujo for their ability to build play against a low block.

Even Lewandowski, the talismanic striker, had to watch as Ferran was rewarded for their early-season form, while Fermin got the nod over Olmo again.

Flick has already shown his ruthlessness with big decisions, notably making Garcia a central part of the club’s defence this season.

And it appears players are responding. Raphinha and Lewandowski came off the bench to score braces, showing hunger to reclaim their spots.

Jules Kounde, after being dropped earlier, produced a flawless defensive display as well, while new signing Marcus Rashford produced his best display yet as a Barcelona player.

The combined team efforts, borne from the sheer competitive nature of Flick’s rotation policy, will go a long way in making Barcelona more self-sufficient and rely less on players such as Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Lewandowski going into the future.