Barcelona eye reinforcements in two key areas after Celta Vigo disappointment | OneFootball

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco have identified the two full-back positions as key areas for improvement in the squad, claims Luis Miguelsanz through SPORT.

The team’s struggles against Celta Vigo highlighted the ongoing issues in the full-back positions.

Jules Kounde, who had been performing well earlier in the season, made a costly mistake in the match, and Gerard Martin had to be substituted at half-time to avoid being sent off.

Despite previous warnings from Flick about the need to strengthen the full-back positions, the club could not secure any signings in the summer, and it seems unlikely that new players will be brought in during the January transfer window.

Flick’s analysis

Flick, upon his arrival, quickly grasped the strengths and weaknesses of the squad. He identified three main problems: a lack of standout players in attack, the absence of a defensive midfielder, and, most notably, significant issues with the full-backs.

While the attack was strengthened with the signing of Dani Olmo, and midfield issues were addressed with the rise of players like Marc Casado and Marc Bernal, the defensive full-back problem remained unsolved.

Hansi Flick wants to sign two full-backs. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Due to financial constraints and limited options in the transfer market, Flick had to make do with the existing squad and promote players from the academy.

Barcelona will look for new full-backs

Currently, Barcelona are facing a dip in form, and the struggles of the full-backs were clearly exposed in the match against Celta Vigo.

Deco shares Flick’s assessment and agrees that action should be taken, although it is expected that any changes will have to wait until the end of the season.

While the club will not make signings in January, Flick is hoping to bolster the squad with a right-back and a left-back in the near future.

For that matter, Flick has shown interest in Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, although this transfer would be difficult to pull off.

The coach believes that there is a lack of competition in the full-back positions, as both Balde and Kounde, who is not naturally a full-back, are being overused and cannot be expected to play every match. The need for new, competitive options in these positions is clear.