Khaberni - Not content with restoring Barcelona to the podium, Hansi Flick imposed a merciless “military regime”; where one minute of delay turned into a costly sin.
In the new Blaugrana fortress, the struggle is not only against opponents but also against the clock, which has come under the authority of a coach who sees lateness as an unforgivable "lack of respect".
40,000 euros delay tax
Barcelona's penalties are no longer just a "slap on the wrist"; reports from the club's stronghold revealed that Flick has introduced the heaviest penalty list in the club's history.
According to star Pedri, a mere 10-minute delay on match day could cost a player a fantastical amount up to 40,000 euros.
This strictness has players perpetually on high alert, to the extent that Ferran Torres jokingly commented on these "painful" sanctions, suggesting that a player might resort to sending a picture of an "ibuprofen pill" as a frivolous medical excuse to escape the threat of a fine or exclusion.
Victims of the "guillotine" of appointments
Flick makes no distinction between a rising star and a key pillar; French defender Jules Kounde tasted the bitterness of German wrath after being late to a team meeting at the "Torre Melina" hotel, a fate that also befell players like Raphinha and Iñaki Peña, who found themselves excluded from the starting lineup for not respecting the "clock hands".
Simply put, Flick's philosophy: "When I say 13:30, I mean neither 13:29 nor 13:31.. Being one minute late is a lack of respect for your teammates and for the club."
The results speak for themselves
This "organized dictatorship" quickly bore fruit; after a stumble by traditional rival Real Madrid against Osasuna, Flick's troops seized the opportunity and clinched the lead with a deserved 3-0 victory over Levante, a match that featured outstanding performances by the trio of Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong, and Fermin Lopez.
Today's Barcelona is not just an entertaining football team, but a German machine operating with the precision of Swiss watches, where preparation for the upcoming match against Villarreal begins with adhering to the bus schedule before touching the ball.
