Barcelona defence on 'another level' now, says Flick

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick stated on Monday that his squad's defensive performance has reached a superior standard following a series of positive outcomes.

The Spanish outfit has secured three consecutive victories since suffering a 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Champions League towards the close of November.

Barca will take on Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday in European competition as they aim for a position within the top eight during the league stage.

With numerous squad members returning from injuries last week, Barca triumphed 3-1 over Atletico Madrid and then 5-3 against Real Betis.

"We all recall the events of the past three months, numerous injuries affecting key personnel, and in recent weeks we have been careful with managing playing time and workload for each individual," Flick explained during a press briefing.

Flick noted that despite conceding three goals to Betis, his strategy of employing a high defensive line proved effective, though the team showed signs of fatigue towards the end, coinciding with two of those concessions.

"In the final 10 minutes, exhaustion set in," Flick observed, referencing a similar 3-3 stalemate against Club Brugge in early November where three goals were also allowed.

"I mentioned to the players this morning that our backline is performing exceptionally well, applying pressure on the ball and maintaining strong connections. This is precisely what we require.

"Moreover, the high line is being executed at a much higher standard compared to one month or five weeks prior."

The victory against Betis has positioned Barca four points ahead at the summit of La Liga, with focus now shifting to the upcoming encounter with Frankfurt.

Back in 2022, Barcelona endured a crushing Europa League exit against the German team, whose supporters packed the Camp Nou stands.

As a precaution this year, Barcelona has limited ticket availability to prevent a repeat of those incidents at their newly reopened venue.

That particular loss represented one of the club's darkest moments, yet since then, they have made significant strides, advancing to the Champions League semi-finals in the previous campaign.

The fixture versus Frankfurt marks Barcelona's return to Champions League action at Camp Nou since October 2022.

"Returning to play at Camp Nou has been a long-held aspiration for all involved," Flick commented.

"It holds great significance for the Champions League. Tomorrow's game is crucial for us.

"Victory is essential; we aim to claim those three points and demonstrate our peak form."

Flick indicated that goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen could rejoin the squad post-injury, but emphasised that Joan Garcia remains the primary choice.