Barcelona, October 6, 2025 โ FC Barcelonaโs dressing room has become a powder keg after their humiliating 4โ1 defeat to Sevilla at the Ramรณn Sรกnchez-Pizjuรกn โ a loss that not only handed Real Madrid the top spot in La Liga, but also ignited a crisis threatening to consume Hansi Flickโs project.
The breaking point came in the 75th minute when Robert Lewandowski missed a crucial penalty with Barรงa trailing 2โ1 and still hoping for a comeback. Yet what has truly rocked the Catalan club is not the miss itself โ his third failed penalty since joining in 2022 โ but the explosive revelation that followed.
Speaking in an emotional exclusive interview with TV3 on Monday morning, the 37-year-old striker claimed that Flick confronted him after the final whistle with words that left him โhumiliated.โ
โI know I made a mistake missing the penalty, but what Hansi said to me afterward is something I will never accept from any coach,โ Lewandowski admitted, his voice breaking. โHe told me, โYouโre too old for this club, Lewy. You canโt handle pressure anymore โ itโs time to retire and make way for the young players.โ I felt crushed, as if 15 years of European titles meant nothing.โ
Lewandowskiโs confession exploded across social media, where the hashtag #FlickOut surpassed half a million mentions within hours. Sources close to the dressing room, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the confrontation took place in the tunnel โ out of view of the cameras but within earshot of teammates including Pedri and Marcus Rashford, who had scored Barcelonaโs only goal late in the first half.
โLewy came storming out, furious, slamming his locker. Flick followed him and said those words โ thinking it was just a private moment of tough love,โ one source revealed.
Since his arrival in the summer of 2024, Flick has been known for his uncompromising standards. After the defeat, he hinted at frustration in his post-match press conference:
โWe made serious mistakes tonight. Not everyone is performing at the level this club demands. We need quality โ not excuses.โ
But few expected such direct criticism to be aimed at the clubโs star striker โ now Barรงaโs all-time top scorer with 102 goals in three seasons.
From kickoff, the match was a nightmare. Matรญas Almeydaโs revitalized Sevilla struck early: a controversial penalty against Ronald Araรบjo in the 10th minute, coolly converted by former Barรงa man Alexis Sรกnchez, and a thunderous strike from Isaac Romero in the 36th to make it 2โ0. Rashford โ on loan from Manchester United and one of the seasonโs revelations with five goals โ pulled one back in stoppage time with a stunning volley.
Barcelona pushed hard after the break, with Flick introducing Alejandro Balde and Eric Garcรญa to spark a reaction. Pedri hit the post, Garcรญaโs header rattled the crossbar โ but fortune deserted them. Then came the fateful moment in the 75th minute: a clumsy foul by Januzaj gave Lewandowski the chance to level the score. His signature slow run-up betrayed him โ the shot clipped the outside of the post, and the opportunity was gone.
โI missed out of overconfidence, I admit it,โ Lewandowski said afterward. โBut Flickโs wordsโฆ they broke me.โ
Sevilla made Barรงa pay, striking twice late on โ Carmona on the counter in the 88th minute and Adams deep into stoppage time โ to seal a famous 4โ1 victory, their first home win over Barcelona at the Pizjuรกn in a decade. Flick, visibly exasperated, covered his face as the miss went wide, later saying only:
โWe tried everything, but we couldnโt find solutions. Our errors in buildup play cost us dearly.โ
Now, as the international break begins, tension at Camp Nou is boiling over. Pedri publicly defended his captain:
โLewy is our leader and our example. No one is finished at 37 when theyโre still scoring 30 goals a season.โ
Club president Joan Laporta has called emergency meetings as the team slips to second place with 19 points after eight matches. Reports suggest Flick could even bench Lewandowski for Novemberโs Clรกsico, while others hint that Saudi clubs have already inquired about a potential January move.
The fanbase is deeply divided. Social media is flooded with memes of the missed penalty and chants demanding Flickโs resignation. One viral post read:
โIf this is true, Flick must go โ no one disrespects a legend like Lewy.โ
For his part, Lewandowski fired back with a pointed comment:
โIโve won everything with managers like Guardiola and Nagelsmann. Flick is a good coach, but respect is non-negotiable. Iโll come back stronger โ with or without him.โ
The question now looms: can Flick survive this storm, or is his Barcelona already beginning to unravel? With a tense FIFA break ahead and uncertainty in the air, one thing is clear โ Lewandowskiโs words have shaken Camp Nou to its core. The fans demand answers, not excuses.