Three major issues Hansi Flick must solve at Barcelona after the international break

Barcelona could hardly have asked for a better start to the season.

Hansi Flick’s side have won all eight of their matches so far, heading into the first international break with a perfect record and a six-point advantage over Real Madrid.

The results are only part of the story, as Barcelona’s performances have also suggested that Flick now has considerably more depth at his disposal than he did last season.

That is a major positive, but it comes with a problem that every successful manager eventually has to deal with: not everyone can play.

Several players who were important figures in previous seasons have suddenly found themselves fighting for minutes.

Hence, Flick will need to keep those players motivated while also protecting his preferred XI from the physical demands of a packed calendar.

When club football resumes, there are several situations that deserve particular attention.

Kounde faces a battle to win back his place
Perhaps the clearest example is at right-back, where Eric Garcia has moved ahead of Jules Kounde in Flick’s plans.

Kounde has featured for only 261 minutes across Barcelona’s opening eight games, while Garcia has accumulated 469.

More strikingly, the Frenchman has remained an unused substitute in each of the last three matches.

For what it is worth, the current situation would have been difficult to predict not long ago, as Kounde was a regular and had established himself as one of Barcelona’s most trusted defensive options.

His decline has happened because the Frenchman has not consistently reproduced the level he showed during Flick’s first season, while occasional lapses in concentration have made Garcia’s reliability increasingly valuable to the manager.

Notably, Kounde received a full 90 minutes for France against Turkiye during the international break, and these minutes could be crucial to winning back his place.

At Barcelona, Andreas Christensen is dealing with an injury, while Garcia’s fitness will need to be assessed. Should either absence create an opening, Kounde will have to take advantage.

Gavi and Balde have fallen down the pecking order
Gavi’s situation is arguably more complicated because the midfielder has managed just 81 minutes so far.

Repeated injury problems have disrupted his progress, and the competition around him is now fierce. Barcelona have assembled enormous quality in midfield, leaving Flick with several alternatives before he even considers Gavi.

The German coach clearly appreciates what Gavi can offer, but appreciation does not automatically translate into a starting position.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde’s situation is different but equally intriguing.

The left-back has played only 12 minutes this season and was already facing questions over his future during the summer.

Barcelona were open to the possibility of his departure, with a sale potentially helping the club fund another defensive addition.

Balde ultimately stayed and chose to compete for his place. For now, though, Xavi Espart and Joao Cancelo are ahead of him in the battle for minutes.

That competition could benefit Barcelona if all three players respond positively, but even in that case, the Spaniard would be Flick’s third-choice option

De Jong’s return could create another major selection issue
Then there is Frenkie de Jong, whose return could give Flick another difficult decision in midfield.

The Dutchman has not played this season after suffering an injury while on international duty, and his absence has meant that Barcelona have built momentum without one of their most experienced midfielders.

His eventual comeback therefore carries more questions than adding another player to the squad.

De Jong remains one of Barcelona’s highest-profile players, but the club’s midfield has changed around him. The arrival of Rodri represents a major statement about the position, while De Jong has also lost the captaincy.

Hence, Flick will have to work out where the Dutchman fits into the new hierarchy once he is physically ready.

The same principle applies to Gavi, Kounde and Balde. Barcelona’s strength this season has created selection headaches that did not exist to the same extent before.

For Flick, therefore, the challenge now is keeping those players involved without disrupting a team that has started the campaign perfectly.

The season will eventually demand contributions from the entire squad. Barcelona have already shown that they can win consistently with their current selection, but maintaining that level across La Liga and Europe will require careful rotation.