Barcelona secured a comfortable victory in their first match of the 2025–26 La Liga season, defeating Real Mallorca 3–0 in a match marked by collective performance and strong tactical discipline. Despite the Catalan side starting the season with three valuable points, what happened behind the scenes after the final whistle raised many questions within the club.
German coach Hansi Flick, who began the La Liga campaign with significant confidence from both the management and the fans, did not hide his deep displeasure with one of the players following the match. Although the reasons were initially unclear, sources close to the coaching staff confirmed that Flick expressed clear anger in the dressing room toward a player who featured in the second half.
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According to these sources, the player in question was Dani Olmo, who came on as a substitute but delivered a performance described by the coaching staff as “selfish” and “undisciplined.” He seemed disconnected from the team’s spirit and lacked effective movement and passing — something that greatly upset Flick.
Press reports from Catalonia indicated that Flick engaged in a heated exchange with Olmo after the match, expressing frustration over the player’s individualistic behavior on the pitch, particularly during moments when the team had the chance to increase their lead with a fourth goal — chances lost due to poor decision-making by the Spanish player.
The German coach made it clear to Olmo that the team could not tolerate such performances and warned that continuing with this mindset could lead to his exclusion from the starting lineup in upcoming matches. This puts Olmo under the spotlight in the coming period: either he adjusts his approach and discipline within the team, or he risks losing the coach’s trust early in the season.
Barcelona may have come away from the Mallorca match with an excellent result, but what followed has highlighted the challenges Flick may face in managing star players and addressing discrepancies in commitment within the squad. While many are celebrating the 3–0 win to open the season, it seems the German manager is already setting high standards — ones that not all players may find easy to meet.
Is Dani Olmo set to reassess his role in the team during this critical period? Or will the positive start to the season overshadow internal tensions that could threaten the stability of Flick’s new project?
