Real Sociedad beat their guest, Barcelona, 1-0 in the match that took place at Anoeta Stadium in the 13th round of La Liga.
The defeat marked Barcelona’s second loss in the league and their third overall this season after losing to Monaco in the Champions League.
The Catalan team remains at the top with 33 points, 6 points ahead of Real Madrid, who have a postponed match against Valencia.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional”, German coach Hansi Flick clarified his position on the Spanish player Ansu Fati, stressing that he does not fit into the style of play he aspires to implement at Barcelona.
Despite coming on as a substitute in the Real Sociedad match, Fati was unable to add anything to Barcelona’s attack. On the contrary, he lost possession of the ball multiple times, and his physical fitness is also on the decline.
The newspaper added that since his arrival at Barcelona, Flick has been determined to implement a more dynamic style of play, where players must fight for every ball with strength and intensity. In this context, Fati’s style of play, which is sometimes slow, does not align with the demands of the new system.
After a long period of injury, Fati has recently returned to the pitch, but in the matches that Flick gave him the opportunity to play in, his performance has not lived up to expectations. He lacked speed and accuracy in ball recovery, which has caused frustration for both the coach and the fans.
The major problem for Barcelona is that Fati is not willing to accept a substitute role or leave the club, especially since his contract is among the highest on the team. Despite his agent’s efforts last summer to explore market options, no offers have come in that meet the club’s expectations or the player’s financial demands.
Today, Fati’s situation remains a long-term problem, especially if Flick decides to exclude him from his plans as the season progresses. In fact, the team has shown that it is capable of functioning well without him.
The newspaper concluded by stating that Flick insists on Fati’s departure in January and the signing of a winger with greater quality who can make a difference if the team needs him.