Barcelona’s advanced defensive line came under fire in the first half against Celta Vigo, with Lamine Yamal visibly frustrated as the visitors repeatedly exploited space behind the defence.
The high line, a trademark of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona since last season, has brought success but also vulnerabilities. Against Celta, those weaknesses were laid bare, and Yamal was caught on camera urging his teammates not to push so far up in an attempt to play the offside trap.
After Celta’s first equaliser made it 1-1, the youngster could be seen questioning his teammates: “What are we doing in midfield? What are we doing in midfield?”
The concern resurfaced after the second goal as Yamal implored the team to “drop back”, speaking to Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, and Eric Garcia while covering his mouth to keep his words private.
The problem stemmed from Barcelona’s defenders—Eric, Araujo, Cubarsi and Balde—pushing the line near the halfway mark, leaving the team exposed to Celta’s incisive runs.
Flick now faces the challenge of adjusting the system to balance the team’s attacking intent with defensive solidity.
