Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has said he accepts responsibility for the club’s recent run of muscle injuries, after three key players suffered hamstring issues in the space of a week. Frenkie de Jong, Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde have all been sidelined with hamstring problems, adding to the physical demands on a squad already managing a busy schedule across multiple competitions.
Flick, who took charge with an emphasis on high-intensity football and structured pressing, acknowledged that the injuries are ultimately his to answer for, even though they may stem from a range of contributing factors. The coach stressed that when several similar injuries occur in a short period, it is a signal for the staff to review everything from training load and session design to recovery routines and match-day preparation.
He did not publicly single out any individual staff member or specific incident, instead framing the situation as a collective responsibility led by the head coach. Flick made it clear that, in his view, the manager must stand at the front when questions arise about player welfare and physical readiness. That includes examining whether the intensity and volume of training work, tactical demands during matches, and rotation decisions are properly calibrated to the players’ condition.
The recent setbacks come at a point in the season when Barcelona are competing for domestic and European objectives, increasing the importance of squad depth and fitness management. De Jong, Koundé and Balde each play distinct roles in the team’s structure, and their absence affects both defensive stability and buildup play from the back.
Flick is expected to rely more heavily on the rest of the squad and academy options as he looks to compensate for the missing players. At the same time, Barcelona’s medical and performance departments are reviewing the circumstances around the injuries in an effort to limit further muscle problems. While it is normal for teams to experience physical setbacks over a long season, the clustering of hamstring issues in such a short window has intensified the internal review.
The coach reiterated that the priority is to ensure that De Jong, Koundé and Balde return only when fully recovered, and that lessons learned from this stretch are applied to prevent similar problems later in the campaign. For Flick, accepting responsibility is the starting point for adjustments aimed at protecting his players and maintaining performance levels over the course of a demanding season.
