The huge mistake from Barcelona that cost them against Atlético Madrid
The German manager, in a move unprecedented at Barça, substituted Marc Casadó before halftime, bringing on Lewandowski.
In an unprecedented move since taking charge of FC Barcelona, Hansi Flick raised his hand, admitted his mistake in the starting eleven, and substituted Marc Casadó, who appeared fit, before halftime in the collapse against Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final, which the Catalans lost 4-0.
The midfielder, already on a yellow card after risking another for a heavy tackle on Koke minutes earlier and coming close to a straight red for his challenge on Giuliano Simeone, left the field in the 39th minute and was replaced by Robert Lewandowski.
In a conservative decision, perhaps influenced by the absences of Raphinha and Marcus Rashford, Flick opted against using Frenkie de Jong as the holding midfielder with Dani Olmo and Fermín in central roles.
Instead, he brought in Casadó, an area Atlético Madrid repeatedly targeted to win back possession, launch counter-attacks, and isolate him one-on-one. By the time Flick acknowledged his error, 38 minutes had passed, Barça were already 3-0 down, and the tie had become an uphill battle.
Casadó, whose future at Barcelona remains uncertain, left the pitch after Flick tried to explain the decision to him as tactfully as possible. According to AS, he has the option of moving to Saudi Arabia, and the arrivals of players such as Bernal and Marqués, along with Gavi’s return, could further reduce his chances.
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Professional football can be ruthless, and the German coach acted decisively, appearing to single out one of his own players while ultimately taking responsibility himself.
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