‘He is on another level’ – Hansi Flick raves about unbelievable Barcelona star Raphinha
Despite the headlines being dominated by the attacking flair of Raphinha and Yamal, Flick also took time to credit the team’s defensive improvements. The German tactician singled out teenage sensation Pau Cubarsi for his maturity and physical development. The young defender has been a mainstay in a backline that has conceded only three goals so far this season, providing the platform for the attackers to express themselves freely further up the pitch.
Flick provided a detailed analysis of the defensive metrics, saying: ‘When I see the xG [expected goals] we have in every game, it’s good, but also the xG against us is much better than last season. It helps us a lot. For me, after the World Cup, [Cubarsi] played fantastic. For me, he’s playing on another level at the moment. I am really happy he has the confidence, but also he’s very focused. With the body, he also improved physically. This is very important, especially for this position. Also with the ball, he’s playing really good, which helps us a lot, so amazing about that.’
