‘I decided it myself’ – Hansi Flick explains why Barcelona didn’t announce a squad list for Sevilla clash | OneFootball

FC Barcelona were able to win their last La Liga game against Sevilla despite being a man down for almost the entirety of the second half. Fermin Lopez got a red card in that game only a few minutes after stepping onto the pitch, but the Blaugranes were still able to get the full three points while also adding more goals after his expulsion.

Thus, this was a morale-boosting win, one which can also prove to be key for the Catalans as they come within touching distance of the top of the league table, and can actually get back on top if they win against Rayo Vallecano tonight.

However, one factor that made the game against Sevilla somewhat peculiar was that Barcelona had not even announced their squad list before the game.

This lack of a squad list led to all kinds of speculation about the squad, including concerns about injuries or other similar problems for some players, as the club did not give any explanations other than that it was Flick’s decision.

As SPORT has reported, the Barcelona coach was also asked about this in the press conference ahead of the game against Rayo Vallecano. However, the German tactician did not give any clear explanation either and limited himself to saying with laughter:

“I decided it myself. We have to submit the list of players to La Liga 90 minutes before the match. That’s the only thing I know. I never knew it was something mandatory here. We’ll see how we handle it tomorrow.”

Thus, the mystery of the lack of a squad list for the Sevilla game has been solved. Flick’s explanation is believable as he has been in Spain only for a few months, and thus such missteps are natural. However, one can now expect that there will be a squad list for the upcoming games in the future, as this was not a pre-thought action on the part of Barcelona head coach.