Former Atletico Madrid star calls out Flick over Barcelona squad management: ‘I don’t understand’

Former Atletico Madrid star calls out Flick over Barcelona squad management: ‘I don’t understand’ Speaking on Movistar+ (h/t SPORT ), former Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez has questioned Barcelona manager Hansi Flick’s rotation and squad management. The Spaniard pointed fingers at the German tactician’s handling of top players like Rodri, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal, arguing that the manager needed to make greater use of his squad to keep his key players fresh for the most demanding fixtures. Mario Suarez baffled by some of Flick’s decisions For starters, Suarez pointed fingers at Flick’s decision to substitute key midfielder Rodri in the UEFA Champions League clash against PSG but keep him on the field for 90 minutes against Alaves, despite crucial games coming up vs Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid. The Barcelona manager had options like Gavi on the bench against Alaves but opted not to call upon them. “I don’t understand, for example, why Rodri plays the full 90 minutes against Alaves but not against Paris Saint-Germain, because now, against Villa and Atletico Madrid, you’re going to give him a rest,” Suarez said. Flick’s squad management questioned. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Suarez also pointed at the difference in minutes accumulated by Barcelona’s key players, arguing that the numbers highlight the need for a more consistent rotation strategy from the manager. “I’ve noticed that Pedri and Rodri are close to 1,000 minutes, whilst Lamine is well above that figure,” he said. “When you’ve had more than five matches in which you’ve been winning by a margin of more than two or three goals, you can take the opportunity to give your players a rest.” Comparison with PSG’s strategy Highlighting why careful management of the players’ workload matters so much, the former midfielder noted: “Ultimately, when a player reaches April or May with 500 or 600 fewer minutes under his belt, it shows.” Flick told to rotate more freely. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images) Suarez then drew attention towards PSG and how they make sure to rotate their key players at every occasion possible, saying: “And even more so against a side like PSG, who manage their players’ minutes in the French league throughout the season to ensure their star players are in peak condition.” “And you might say, ‘It’s the French league’, but the fact is that Barcelona are winning matches by very large margins, which allows them to rest their players,” he concluded. Suarez does make some valid points with regard to how Flick has utilised his players this season and this is an aspect that the Barcelona manager must work on if the team is to compete for and win all trophies this season.