Flick grants Barcelona players two days off to disconnect and rest after El Clasico loss

Flick grants Barcelona players two days off to disconnect and rest after El Clasico loss According to SPORT , Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has given his players two days off following their 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the season on Sunday night. As per the report, the German tactician is prioritising physical recovery and mental freshness as Barcelona attempt to rediscover their best form following consecutive defeats to PSG and Real Madrid. After seeing his team struggle for energy in Paris and then lose 2-1 at home in El Clasico , Flick wants his players to step away from football briefly before returning to intensive work on the training ground. Flick gives Barcelona players time to reset after demanding schedule Barcelona have been given a valuable window to recover, with two days off before preparations resume on Wednesday. Flick’s immediate focus is not on overloading the squad with tactical instructions, but on ensuring his players return refreshed, follow their nutrition plans and recover from a demanding run of fixtures. A small break for Barcelona players after Clasico defeat. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) As per the report, the manager’s concerns about fatigue had been building for almost two weeks. During Barcelona’s return from Seville, adverse weather conditions in Catalonia disrupted the team’s travel plans, leaving the squad spending more than an hour on the aircraft before returning to their hotel. The team then had little time to recover before travelling to Paris for their Champions League meeting with PSG. The demanding sequence, combined with a growing list of injuries, appears to have taken its toll. Barcelona’s 4-2 defeat in the Champions League exposed a loss of sharpness, and the same problem was evident during Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid. The Catalans struggled to maintain their usual intensity in a 2-1 defeat that ended their unbeaten start to the La Liga season. Ballon d’Or gala slightly complicates plans As such, Flick now believes the first step towards reversing that decline is to give his squad a genuine opportunity to switch off. Lamine and Rodri will be present at the Ballon d’Or gala tonight. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) He wants the players to follow their prescribed dietary routines and recovery guidelines, but also to clear their minds before returning to work on Wednesday. The Ballon d’Or ceremony in London tonight complicates that plan slightly, with Lamine Yamal, Joan Garcia and Rodri set to attend, although Pau Cubarsi has decided not to, in order to focus on his rest and recovery . Nevertheless, Flick is hoping the trip will not prevent them from returning mentally refreshed ahead of training resumption before the game against Alaves. From Wednesday, the emphasis will shift towards detailed discussions about Barcelona’s tactical performance and the improvements required on the pitch. For now, however, Flick believes rest is the most effective way to restore the energy that characterised the team’s early-season performances.