Hansi Flick sees the shore, but Barça has to plug the holes in the boat against time.

Less than a year ago, Joan Laporta pulled off a coup from the Barça dugout to bring in a recurring hopeful, Hansi Flick . The German coach was presented as the new manager of FC Barcelona and avoided setting too many expectations , despite knowing that the club's demands are measured in championships: "To win titles, you have to play matches and take things step by step." Ten months have passed since that July morning, and Flick can already see the shore, the coveted treble on the sand... but the water is already reaching the heels of the Blaugrana ship .

There are several worrying factors at the Blaugrana club, which, so far, has had a simply extraordinary season. The stifling schedule of modern football is largely to blame, but that's a common problem. Flick's team has suffered defensive problems since the start of the season, always made up for by their undeniable goal-scoring prowess. Their inability to defend has increased in recent matches and is a serious threat.

The mess in the goal

In the last six matches, Barça has conceded 12 goals—scoring 14, it must be said—only against Mallorca did they manage to keep a clean sheet. That's one of the debates. Wojciech Szczęsny earned his starting place this year, but Ter Stegen has returned from injury . The German made several public appearances to make it clear that he was a candidate to regain his goalkeeping position once his serious knee injury was resolved. Coincident or not, since the captain's made noise, Szczęsny's performance has declined.

Despite being a starter at Valladolid, where he conceded a goal , Flick confirmed that the Pole will be the one defending the Barça goal in the second leg of the Champions League against Inter Milan at the Giuseppe Meazza. Ter Stegen , who also confirmed the rumors about his poor relationship with Leo Messi, will wait for his opportunity.

Koundé's absence, the Lewandowski mystery

The bad news doesn't stop at the tension in goal. Flick is worried about the infirmary, and rightly so. Alejandro Balde hasn't recovered and, unlike Robert Lewandowski, has been left out of the squad. Coupled with the absence of Jules Koundé due to a thigh problem, Barça will defend their flanks with Gerard Martin on the left and Eric García at right back. Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez will be in the center of defense.

Up front, despite the Polish striker's inclusion in the squad, Ferran Torres is expected to be the number nine against Inter. The 3-3 draw at Montjuïc leaves everything open, and Lewandowski could get minutes in the closing stages of the match. "Perhaps he could start for the Clásico," Flick himself commented in the press conference ahead of the match.

As a playmaker, Dani Olmo's leadership is aiming for the starting eleven , despite the solid playing time provided by Fermín . The attacking midfielder acted as a leader in front of the press, assuring the team that it's heading into the final phase of the season in top form. This is his first year with Barça, and he's aiming to make history.

Injuries aside, FC Barcelona 's immediate future rests in the hands of the club's three best players of the year: Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Pedri . Inter manager Filippo Inzaghi was full of praise for the Blaugrana star, confirming that they will use double marking after his display in the first leg: "We have to try not to let him get the ball, but it's impossible."

Raphinha, for his part, has arrived in Italy, a country from which he holds a passport through his father's ancestry. The Brazilian has completed the best season of his career, serving as captain through thick and thin. But Barça's driving force isn't up front, but in midfield. Pedri is the one holding everything together, and the Canary Islander is running out of gas. Life could be wonderful for Flick if the best midfielder in the world ( as Toni Kroos himself puts it ) has a good day. The German coach caresses the sand on the shore.