The aftermath of Barcelona’s loss to Monaco in the Champions League is still weighing heavily on the club, as fans had hoped for a crucial victory. Barcelona was defeated 2-1, playing with ten men for 85 minutes after defender Eric Garcia’s early red card.
In an interview with Radio Catalunya, club legend Carles Puyol expressed his disappointment, criticizing several players. He urged Hansi Flick to make significant changes to the starting lineup, specifically recommending that goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen be dropped from the team. Puyol believes Ter Stegen has become a liability and has contributed to the team’s decline in recent years, warning that failure to act could lead to Flick facing the same fate as his predecessors.
Puyol also expressed that Hansi Flick should consider excluding Robert Lewandowski from the starting lineup in crucial matches, arguing that the Polish striker is not the same player Flick coached at Bayern Munich due to his age. Puyol pointed out Lewandowski’s lack of pressing and tendency to miss easy chances, as seen in recent games. He called for young striker Pau Victor to be given a starting opportunity.
Pau Victor has shown his potential during the pre-season tour, notably scoring against Real Madrid in the Clasico held in the United States.
