Barcelona midfielder Pedri has defended Hansi Flick’s infamous high line and hailed the German coach’s impact at the club.
Flick won three trophies in his first season at Barcelona but has come under scrutiny at times for his set-up, particularly in the Champions League.
Here’s what Pedri’s had to say about it all:
“It looks easy when you see it from the outside, because the defensive line is very high up the pitch and it creates a lot of space between the goal and the midfield,” he told Esquire magazine.
“Sometimes, especially from the outside, you think they’d just play a through ball and be one-on-one with the goalkeeper. But, especially if you press high up the pitch, it’s very difficult for them to find the space needed to make the perfect pass and get the ball to the striker.”
Pedri also spoke about Flick’s importance to the team and how he’s always giving advice to the players.
“Very important. I think that, within the club, in terms of professionalism, he’s changed many things. He’s instilled a certain German character. On the other hand, in day-to-day life, although these are details that aren’t very visible from the outside, it’s very family-oriented,” he added.
“He’s always helping us, giving us advice, especially tactically; in that defensive line we implemented last season, which many people didn’t expect. In fact, we were the first ones who didn’t expect it. I think it worked out perfectly.”
Flick will be hoping for more trophies in his second season with Barcelona and had his team four points clear at the top of the table in Spain over Christmas
