Flick warns Barcelona may need reinforcements to match last season’s standards

Hans-Dieter Flick says Barcelona may still need new signings before the start of the season and has challenged his players to work hard to maintain the level they reached last term.

Barcelona began their preparations with a 5-2 friendly victory over Swiss side Basel, but Flick admitted his team must improve before their competitive campaign gets under way.

Asked about potential transfers after the match, Flick said: “Maybe we are missing something. We will see what happens this week, and we have to work hard and develop the team to maintain the level we showed last season.”

The German manager was pleased with the result but felt Barcelona had not played with the intensity he wanted.

“We did not play at the speed we wanted, and we have to improve. We have the ability, but I am happy with this match,” he said.

Barcelona’s goals were scored by Karim Adeyemi, Hamza Abdulkareem, Lamine Yamal and Jesse Bissio, who scored twice. Basel’s two goals came from Jean Doukoure and Kazim Olajegbe.

Abdulkareem came on as a substitute at half-time, replacing Anthony Gordon, and found the net four minutes after entering the field.

Flick is now preparing for the final stages of pre-season, with Barcelona’s first La Liga fixture scheduled for next weekend against Elche.

“We have our first league match in a week against Elche, and we have to decide who will play and who will start. We only have five substitutions, so it is not easy to manage all of that,” he said.

The match against Basel formed part of Barcelona’s preparations ahead of their final friendly, when they will face Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Wednesday at Camp Nou.

Flick said the quality of Barcelona’s work on the training ground would be crucial as he finalises his plans.

“We will analyse the match and prepare for Wednesday’s game, but I think the most important thing is the intensity and quality of the training, which is going very well,” he added.

The manager also welcomed the return of the players who had been involved in the World Cup, saying they had come back with a positive attitude.

“The players who took part in the World Cup returned with great enthusiasm, and everyone is now focused on the Joan Gamper Trophy and the Elche match at the weekend,” Flick said.

Barcelona will officially begin their campaign against Elche in La Liga next Sunday. Their postponed opening-round fixture will then be played against Athletic Club on Thursday, 27 August, at Camp Nou.

Flick’s side therefore have one more opportunity to assess their squad and tactical plans in a competitive setting before the league schedule begins. The manager’s comments suggest Barcelona are still considering whether further additions are required, while also placing emphasis on preserving the standards established during the previous season.