Hansi Flick Warns Barcelona Against Complacency Before Levante Test
Barcelona will take a perfect start into Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Levante, but Hansi Flick has warned his players that early-season momentum will count for little if standards begin to slip. The Blaugrana have won each of their first five matches in all competitions, scoring 22 times and allowing only three goals.
Their attacking form has made Barcelona one of the early stories of the campaign. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha have led a forward line that has overwhelmed opponents, with Barcelona scoring five against Feyenoord in the Champions League and also producing emphatic performances against Valencia, Rayo Vallecano and Elche. Yamal has again supplied much of the side’s invention, while the team has shown a sharper edge in front of goal than in recent seasons.
Flick nevertheless stressed that the squad must avoid becoming complacent. He said football can change quickly and that enjoying the present run is healthy only if the team retains the attitude that created it. Any shift away from that approach, he cautioned, would take Barcelona in the wrong direction.
The coach has placed as much value on collective discipline as on the quality of his most influential attackers. Flick said Barcelona must reproduce their current level in every fixture, pointing to sustained intensity, concentration and activity as central requirements for the side.
European ambition alongside domestic target
Levante are the immediate assignment, although Barcelona’s wider objectives are already clear. The club have not won the Champions League since 2015, and Flick recognised that lifting the European Cup remains the principal ambition shared by supporters. He described it as a dream and an objective for the season after speaking with fans and people around the city.
La Liga, however, is not being treated as a secondary pursuit. Barcelona have the chance to claim a third straight league title, and Flick said president Joan Laporta has underlined the importance of achieving that domestic landmark. A third consecutive championship, Flick said, would be an exceptional outcome as Barcelona seek to maintain their authority in Spain while pursuing a return to the top of Europe.
