Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos slams Hansi Flick’s Barcelona for controversial lineup decision in El Clasico

Barcelona suffered a surprising defeat to Real Madrid, who solidified their position as leaders of LaLiga. In response, legend Toni Kroos criticized a decision made by Hansi Flick during the game, suggesting that a different approach might have altered the outcome.

After arriving at El Clasico on a winning streak, Barcelona looked to defeat Real Madrid. However, the Culers faced defeat due to Los Blancos’ powerful attack led by Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. Despite Lamine Yamal becoming a target of criticism for his limited offensive contribution, legend Toni Kroos chose to highlight another key factor by strongly criticizing Hansi Flick for a lineup decision.

“In the centre of defence, I don’t understand why (Eric) Garcia is playing. Football-wise, he’s slightly better than (Ronald) Araujo, but Araujo has the physical strength to chase down opponents more, especially when you’re defending so high up the pitch… When you have Mbappe and Vinícius up against you, you need someone who can match that pace. Araujo can do that. I was very surprised by his absence,” Toni Kroos said, via Einfach mal Luppen.

Hansi Flick’s arrival has injected new life into Barcelona, revitalizing their attacking play, which stands as their strongest attribute. However, an obvious weakness in defense persists. Despite Eric Garcia’s strong performances, he hasn’t reached the level of dominance seen next to Pau Cubarsi, a point that Kroos has notably highlighted. Moreover, Ronald Araujo has been facing a secondary role, leaving the defensive line without a physical dominant profile.

Not only have Araujo’s secondary role and Christensen’s constant injuries weakened the defense, but Barcelona also suffered the departure of Iñigo Martinez. In light of this, Kroos has analyzed his departure: “Last year, he was Barca’s centre-back with the best ball distribution…He was an excellent defender and had great build-up play. Against Real Madrid, his absence was noticeable when the team suffered under their high press. They didn’t replace him, and that’s taking its toll.”

With this in mind, Barcelona have decided to retain Pau Cubarsi as the undisputed starter, but the team still hasn’t discovered his ideal partner. Araujo might be Kroos’ preferred candidate, but his inefficiency with the ball has led to several individual errors resulting in goals. Moreover, rather than strengthening the defense after Iñigo’s departure, they chose to keep the defense intact, which has not been entirely positive.

Why did Hansi Flick’s Barcelona lose to Real Madrid? Toni Kroos gives his clear perspective

Following Barcelona’s defeat to Real Madrid, many fans have questioned the team’s competitiveness. Now trailing the La Liga leaders by five points, Barcelona need Los Blancos to lose two games while maintaining a winning streak themselves to remain in contention for the title. Despite various analyses exploring the reasons for the defeat, legend Toni Kroos pinpointed a clear factor contributing to the Culers’ loss.

“To be fair, Barcelona arrived at El Clásico exhausted: from the goalkeeper to the coach, who wasn’t even on the bench… They were missing Raphinha, (Daniel) Olmo, and (Robert Lewandowski) Lewy, and that makes a big difference in a game of this caliber. I’m sure they’ll improve later on,” Toni Kroos said, via Einfach mal Luppen.

Despite arriving with clear aspirations for victory, Barcelona faced several challenges due to the absence of seven key players: Robert Lewandowski, Joan Garcia, Dani Olmo, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Gavi, and Marc Andre Ter Stegen. Missing many of their stars put them at a disadvantage, especially on offense, where their play remained uninspired and flat.