Barcelona, already in form for months, seems almost unstoppable: 43 goals in ten official matches, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal leading the attack with 14 and 8 goals respectively. The HansiFlick team has captured the attention of all of Spain, but the question remains who can stop them. The answer will be made in the next few days, when the Catalans face Betis, PSG and Real Madrid in a series of matches that will test their superiority.
The first test is the match against Betis on Saturday evening. The Andalusian club has had a good start to the season, demonstrating solidity in both La Liga and the Champions League. A victory against them would allow Barça to increase the pressure on Real Madrid, already six points behind, and move closer to the Clasico at Camp Nou. The match against Los Blancos could become decisive for the title race, especially if JoséMourinho's team were to make a misstep. Among these matches, the away match at the Parc des Princes against PSG represents the most prestigious match. The two teams, considered the best in Europe at the moment, will compete in the Champions League, a match which, although not decisive for the European phase, will be a fundamental test for Barça.
For Flick, managing the squad will be crucial. The German coach has almost all the players available: Christensen and Bardghji are the only ones unavailable, while FrenkiedeJong and Raphinha are back in the squad. Raphinha, after the physical problems with the national team, was carefully evaluated: "If you ask him, he is ready to be a starter, but I have to proceed step by step. On Thursday he trained with the group and it was good, but we have many games to play and we will have to manage", explained Flick. Ballon d'Or candidate LamineYamal has also already accumulated 851 minutes this season, more than any other player at the club. The coach underlined the importance of avoiding overloads: "It's not a simple matter, because he's a special player. The most important thing is that he enjoys playing football, and he's doing that at the moment. But I also know that we have to manage his playing time."
The week that follows will therefore be much more than a simple series of matches: it will be the first real test of the season. Betis, PSG and Real Madrid will test the dominance shown so far and tell if Barça's form will transform into a concrete candidacy for the big goals. With the pressure mounting, the Catalan club will need to maintain focus and manage their squad as best they can to continue dominating both La Liga and the Champions League.