Barcelona’s Basel victory highlights the final gaps Hansi Flick wants fixed

Hansi Flick says Barcelona still need to improve their pace and overall readiness despite a 5-0 friendly victory over Basel, with the German manager warning that his side may not reach full strength until after the next international break.

Flick was pleased with the progress his players showed in Switzerland, particularly when compared with their previous 3-1 match against Udinese. However, he believes there are still areas to address before Barcelona begin their La Liga campaign against Elche.

The Basel fixture was the first pre-season match in which most of the available Barcelona squad appeared together. It provided an important test ahead of the new season, with several new arrivals making a strong impression as Barcelona recorded a comprehensive win.

Speaking to media outlets affiliated with the club, Flick described the game as a useful examination of his team. The coaching staff are already turning their attention towards the league opener, with the start of the domestic campaign drawing closer.

“Of course it was a good test for us, they did well, but we did not play with the speed we wanted. We have to improve, and we have the possibilities,” said Flick.

The manager acknowledged that reaching peak fitness and cohesion would not be straightforward. Several players joined training later than others, making it difficult for the squad to prepare together from the beginning. Flick does not expect Barcelona to be operating at their full level even after the next international break.

The German also left open the possibility of further activity in the transfer market before the window closes. He suggested that Barcelona’s squad may still require additions, although he did not identify any positions or players under consideration.

“Maybe we missed something, we will see this week,” said Flick.

For now, Flick regards the work being carried out on the training ground as the most important factor. He has called on his players to maintain the standards they established last season, with hard work and continual improvement central to Barcelona’s preparations.

Barcelona have one final pre-season test before their competitive campaign begins. They will face Al Ahli on Wednesday in the Joan Gamper Trophy, after which attention will switch fully to their opening La Liga fixture against Elche.

Flick also expressed his happiness at returning to play in front of Barcelona supporters at Camp Nou. He stressed the importance of the fans’ backing and urged his players to continue working towards recovering the level they demonstrated during the previous season.

The final friendly will give the coaching staff another opportunity to assess the squad’s condition and identify what still needs to be improved. Even so, Flick made clear that the intensity and quality of training will be more decisive than any single result in determining whether Barcelona are ready for the official start of the season.