Hansi Flick stunned by Barcelona's fixture fiasco

By SABC Sport
18th March 2025

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick received a shock at the club's training ground when he learned the rescheduled date for their La Liga clash with Osasuna.

With only a handful of first-team players available, bolstered by youngsters from the reserves and academy, the German boss oversaw a training session at the Ciudad Deportiva on Monday. His frustration boiled over when he discovered the match had been set for Thursday, 27 March, just days after the international break.

Flick was left baffled and furious. He couldn't fathom how the Spanish Football Federation could pencil in a game knowing Barcelona would be without key stars like Raphinha and Ronald Araujo.

Both players are committed to international duty with Brazil and Uruguay, facing Bolivia and Argentina respectively, making it impossible for them to feature against Osasuna.

Add to that, three Under-21 internationals are also tied up with their national side until Tuesday, 25 March, leaving Flick's squad stretched thin.

For a man shaped by the structured world of German football, the decision was incomprehensible. "He was stunned when they told him on Monday," a club insider revealed.

Flick, known for his meticulous planning, couldn't wrap his head around the scheduling chaos. Barcelona are now preparing an appeal, set to be lodged within hours, hoping the Appeals Committee will overturn the ruling from the Single Judge.

However, optimism is in short supply at the Camp Nou. Before the latest decision, Barcelona had already submitted objections, highlighting the 27 March date as a logistical nightmare due to international call-ups. They argued, along with Osasuna, that slotting the game between the second-to-last and final league rounds made far more sense. The Single Judge, though, brushed those pleas aside.

The fixture was originally slated for Saturday, 8 March, but tragedy struck when club doctor Carles Minarro passed away suddenly at the team's hotel, forcing a postponement.

Now, with the new 27 March date locked in, both Barcelona and Osasuna are united in their intent to fight it. "It's a mess," one Barcelona source admitted. "We're hoping for a rethink, but we're not holding our breath."