FC Barcelona suffered a bitter 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal on February 12, 2026. The Catalan team was left stunned by the result and is already facing heavy internal and external criticism.
In line with recent reports, we can confirm that an unplanned meeting took place between the players and Hansi Flick at the Blaugrana training grounds on Friday. Criticisms arose from both sides as the German coach questioned the players attitude and intensity during the first half of that game.
Conversely, players were open to exchanging opinions with the coaching staff and voiced their concerns. They were of the view that holding a high line and high press were not the best ideas under the circumstances, especially in the absence of key players like Raphinha and Pedri.
It has been observed that players were not looking to have their approach dismantled again and sought more pragmatism in bigger matches. The implications that the meeting will have on the Barcelona team remains uncertain, but hope persists that it will allow both parties to exchange ideas and maintain a healthy balance in the future.
