Poland legend slams Flick’s tactics after Champions League exit – ‘Barcelona screwed up everything’ | OneFootball

Polish football legend and current UEFA vice-president, Zbigniew Boniek, has openly criticised Hansi Flick for his decisions in the closing stages of Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Milan.

The Catalan club were knocked out after a painful 3-4 loss at San Siro, and Boniek believes it did not have to end that way.

In an interview with Polsat Sport (h/t SPORT), Boniek did not hold back when it came to Flick’s management. He was especially frustrated by the decision to bring Robert Lewandowski on very late in the match, with little time left to make an impact.

Boniek pointed out that Inter were already showing signs of fatigue, and Barcelona should have used that to their advantage by strengthening the midfield or adding a defender instead.

“The Inter players were exhausted. Instead of bringing on a striker, it made more sense to pack the midfield or add a defender. Their equaliser came from a centre-back who was completely unmarked in the box,” Boniek said.

Barcelona’s collapse in the final minutes

Barcelona were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Aside from Lewandowski’s late appearance, Boniek also highlighted how unprepared Barcelona looked in such a crucial phase of the match.

He said that despite playing attractive football, the team lacked control and made basic errors that cost them dearly.

“Barcelona screwed up everything. The team plays very good football, but due to simple mistakes, they will miss the Champions League final,” he added.

With a place in the final at stake and Inter struggling physically, Barcelona had a real chance to push through.

But as per Boniek, questionable tactical decisions and poor defending led to a painful exit. But with the result upon us, Barcelona still have the La Liga title in sight in the weekend’s clash against Real Madrid could make or break their push.