FC Barcelona is riding high this season, but there's a catch that Hansi Flick can't ignore. Despite experiencing a few ups and downs, FC Barcelona is currently in the midst of an impressive season across various competitions. They have clinched the Spanish Super Cup, secured a place in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, are leading the La Liga standings, and have surprisingly advanced to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
The team has demonstrated remarkable mental strength, managing to recover from behind in several matches. Overall, it seems like everything is going well for the defending champions of Spain.
Yet, there’s one significant concern on Flick's radar: their struggle with converting scoring opportunities. According to reports from SPORT, the primary worry for Hansi Flick regarding Barcelona's performances this season lies in their failure to make the most of the chances they create in front of the goal.
Flick expressed his thoughts in a media briefing following their Copa del Rey match against Albacete earlier this week. He remarked, "It was a challenging game. We created numerous chances, and I’m proud of the team for competing every three days." He added, "The match was quite balanced, but we need to be more effective in finishing our plays."
This issue was particularly apparent during their recent victory against Elche in La Liga. At the Martinez Valero stadium last weekend, the Catalan club secured all three points, yet recorded an astonishing expected goals (xG) of 6.5—the highest since such data has been tracked—while only managing to convert three of those opportunities into actual goals.
In a prior encounter against Real Sociedad last month, Barcelona had an xG of 3.6 but ended up losing 2-1. Similarly, in their latest match against Albacete, despite an xG of 3, they only achieved a narrow 2-1 victory.
Across these three matches, statistics indicate that they should have scored 13 goals, yet they only found the back of the net six times—less than half of what was anticipated.
Flick recognizes that improving their finishing skills is critical for reaching their goals, especially in a highly competitive tournament like the Champions League. Without precise and clinical finishing, the repercussions could be significant.
