{"id":1504622,"date":"2026-10-19T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1504622"},"modified":"2026-10-19T15:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T14:05:18","slug":"barcelona-changes-hansi-flick-la-liga-champions-league","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/barcelona-changes-hansi-flick-la-liga-champions-league\/","title":{"rendered":"How Rodri and Barcelona\u2019s new attack have transformed Hansi Flick\u2019s side"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Played nine. Won nine. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Barcelona<\/a> have made the perfect start to their La Liga defence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/hansi-flick\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hansi Flick<\/a>\u2019s men maintained their rampant start to the campaign with a resounding 5-2 win at high-flying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/real-betis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Real Betis<\/a> on Saturday evening. Putting five past Betis is no mean feat, particularly in Seville. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/manuel-pellegrini\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Manuel Pellegrini<\/a>\u2019s men had shipped just two goals in four home games prior to the Barcelona clash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/add-squawka-to-your-google-news-feed\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner.webp\" alt=\"Add Squawka to your preferred sources on Google\" class=\"wp-image-1500527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner.webp 1500w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-300x100.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-1024x341.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-768x256.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-400x133.webp 400w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-600x200.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-180x60.webp 180w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-150x50.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/squawka-preferred-sources-google-banner-222x74.webp 222w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, the Blaugrana were helped by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/facundo-bernal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facundo Bernal<\/a>\u2019s second-half dismissal over the weekend. They capitalised with ruthless efficiency. Even so, a five-goal salvo took their goal haul for the season to 39, at least 16 more than any other team in the division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover:<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-barcelona-s-new-look-attack\" data-level=\"3\">Barcelona&#8217;s new-look attack<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-rodri-s-impact\" data-level=\"3\">Rodri&#8217;s impact<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-psg-trip-a-true-test\" data-level=\"3\">PSG trip a true test<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019re score at a rate of 4.3 goals per game. Opponents know what they\u2019re getting when they face Barcelona. For the most part, it\u2019s a pummelling that would make Daniel Dubois\u2019 dismantling of Fabio Wardley look positively tame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-barcelona-s-new-look-attack\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Barcelona&#8217;s new-look attack<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main change has come on the frontline. The departure of a striker of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/robert-lewandowski\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Robert Lewandowski<\/a>\u2019s calibre would hurt any team. On the contrary, Barcelona have improved considerably. Lewandowski is more of the traditional number nine. A focal point to a side that needs to maximise his goalscoring capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Naturally, it made Barcelona a touch more one dimensional. That\u2019s not to say Lewandowski is a bad striker. On the contrary, he\u2019s been one of the best in the modern game. However, teams need to set up accordingly in order to bring out the best in the Polish hitman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And while they failed to bring in their first-choice replacement as Atletico Madrid steadfastly refused to budge on their Julian Alvarez stance, Barcelona still added bodies to the attack. Gabriel Jesus, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/karim-adeyemi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Karim Adeyemi<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/anthony-gordon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Anthony Gordon<\/a> all made the move to Spotify Camp Nou, joining from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/arsenal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arsenal<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/borussia-dortmund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Borussia Dortmund<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/newcastle-united\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Newcastle United<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Barcelona comparison between the 2025\/26 and 2026\/27 La Liga season\" class=\"wp-image-1504623\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-214x267.jpg 214w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-160x200.jpg 160w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-48x60.jpg 48w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-120x150.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2-59x74.jpg 59w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105509\/team_-radar-comparison-2.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jesus is a more rounded frontman, willing to drift across the forward line in order to drag markers out of position to open up space for teammates to exploit. Similarly, Raphinha\u2019s redeployment as a leading striker has had a similarly effective impact. This is particularly important given the wingers at Flick\u2019s disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/lamine-yamal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lamine Yamal<\/a> likes to cut inside from the right flank onto his favoured left foot. Gordon does so from the opposite wing. Having a striker like Lewandowski leading the charge clogs up the attack. Now, there is space for both wingers to attack the space afforded to them when Jesus or Raphinha lead the charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that, it\u2019s no surprise that Yamal (36) and Gordon (15) rank first and second, respectively, for completed take ons of all Barcelona players. And with pace to burn in the final third, Barcelona are able to spring forward at the drop of a hat when they do win the ball back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-rodri-s-impact\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rodri&#8217;s impact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They are able to break forward at speed, safe in the knowledge that there is an experienced defensive anchor to protect the defence. One criticism of Flick has routinely been the high defensive line. It\u2019s one that can be exposed by nippy attacking forwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It means that Barcelona have still conceded nine goals in La Liga this season. They\u2019ve kept just one clean sheet in their last seven competitive outings. The defensive issues is something that was picked up on by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/xavi-espart\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Xavi Espart<\/a> following the Real Betis win. \u201cWe&#8217;re an attacking team, but I feel we still concede too many goals,\u201d the 19-year-old said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Espart has a point. They\u2019re a team that should not be shipping as many goals as they do. However, it\u2019s an area that has strengthened markedly with the addition of Rodri. Last season, Flick relied on Marc Casado, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/marc-bernal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marc Bernal<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/frenkie-de-jong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Frenkie de Jong<\/a> to anchor the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, they have the standard bearer for holding midfielders protecting the defence. As such, the number of shots conceded per game has dropped from 9.1 to 6.8. The addition of Rodri gives the attacking stars greater freedom to really hurt teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fermin Lopez (1.7 to 2.2) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/dani-olmo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dani Olmo<\/a> (2.1 to 3.9) have both seen increases to the number of chances created per 90 in La Liga this season. Both attacking players can push forward to hurt teams, safe in the knowledge there is a defensive safety net to mop up behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barcelona have also enjoyed minor increases in both possession and pass accuracy with Rodri in the side. They enjoy greater dominance following the 2026 World Cup winner\u2019s capture, which shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-psg-trip-a-true-test\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">PSG trip a true test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both the change in attacking style, combined with Rodri\u2019s rapid integration is vital both domestically and on the continent. Barcelona face <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/paris-saint-germain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paris Saint-Germain<\/a> in another blockbuster Champions League clash in midweek. The French side came away from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/manchester-city\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Manchester City<\/a> with all the spoils following a rampant opening half hour in an eventual 4-2 win at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the scoreline doesn\u2019t tell the full story of the game. Yes, PSG were imperious from the outset. They dominated in midfield and punished City accordingly. Yet, after the break, City boss <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/enzo-maresca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enzo Maresca<\/a> introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/players\/ayyoub-bouaddi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ayyoub Bouaddi<\/a> to give his side greater stability in a key area. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/competitions\/premier-league-2026-2027\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Premier League<\/a> side were arguably the better team after the introduction of the Moroccan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That will have given Flick food for thought. Barcelona may struggle to keep teams out, but if they can keep the ball away from PSG\u2019s midfield maestros, starving them of possession, then the Spanish giants should feel confident about replicating City\u2019s second-half display at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One player leaving &#8211; Lewandowski &#8211; and another coming in &#8211; Rodri &#8211; has completely transformed Barcelona in both setup and style. And it\u2019s had a positive impact for Flick\u2019s men, who\u2019ll be gunning for both domestic and continental glory this season.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Played nine. Won nine. Barcelona have made the perfect start to their La Liga defence. Hansi Flick\u2019s men maintained their rampant start to the campaign with a resounding 5-2 win at high-flying Real Betis on Saturday evening. Putting five past Betis is no mean feat, particularly in Seville. Manuel Pellegrini\u2019s men had shipped just two&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3564,"featured_media":1504624,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Barcelona","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Barcelona\u2019s new-look attack and Rodri\u2019s midfield impact have transformed Hansi Flick\u2019s side as they chase La Liga and Champions League glory.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[27673,27676,27671],"class_list":["post-1504622","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","squawka-category-champions-league","squawka-category-la-liga","squawka-category-team-analysis"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Rodri and Barcelona\u2019s new attack have 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content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/barcelona-changes-hansi-flick-la-liga-champions-league\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SquawkaFootballNews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-19T14:05:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/10\/19105755\/3FW1360-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@squawka\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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SEVILLE, SPAIN - OCTOBER 17: Rodri of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during to the LaLiga 2026\\\/27 EA Sports match between Real Betis Balompie and FC Barcelona at Estadio de la Cartuja on October 17, 2026 in Sevilla, Spain. 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SEVILLE, SPAIN - OCTOBER 17: Rodri of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during to the LaLiga 2026\/27 EA Sports match between Real Betis Balompie and FC Barcelona at Estadio de la Cartuja on October 17, 2026 in Sevilla, Spain. 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