Despite Barcelona’s dramatic and historic triumph over their fierce rivals Real Madrid in the latest El Clásico, the mood within the club after the match wasn’t as joyful as most fans might have imagined.
The supporters had plenty of reasons to celebrate, as their team mounted an incredible comeback, overturning a two-goal deficit to claim a memorable win. However, beneath the surface of this thrilling victory, tensions brewed within the Barcelona dressing room, revealing problems that extended beyond the pitch.
Reports from Spanish media outlet El Nacional suggested that not everyone within the squad shared in the post-match celebrations. Notably, two of Barcelona’s star players visibly withheld their joy and showed frustration inside the dressing room, despite the electric atmosphere at Estadio Luis Companys.
Their dissatisfaction reportedly stemmed from disagreements with head coach Hansi Flick, whose tactical choices during the match didn’t align with their expectations. What should have been a night of unfiltered celebration was overshadowed by speculation about Flick’s relationship with key members of his squad.
The friction wasn’t limited to those players. Substitute goalkeeper Iñaki Peña also found himself on the fringes of the team’s celebrations. Peña, who had temporarily stepped up as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper following Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury, lost his spot after the arrival of new signing Wojciech Szczęsny, who quickly earned Flick’s confidence.
This move left Peña feeling isolated and disheartened. While several of his teammates headed out to continue their celebrations in the company of global rap star Travis Scott, Peña deliberately distanced himself, having seemingly accepted that his future at the club was now uncertain and that a summer departure could be on the cards.
Perhaps the most talked-about incident involved Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. Despite being fit and available for selection, the veteran forward was controversially left out of the El Clásico starting lineup. Though he played a minor part in Barcelona’s recent Champions League semi-final, Lewandowski considered his omission from such a monumental match a serious blow.
Sources close to the team disclosed that he made little effort to hide his anger and opted not to participate in the celebrations, highlighting growing tensions between him and the coach. This incident reflected Flick’s preference for a team-centered approach over relying on big-name stars.
Though the club’s management has publicly downplayed these issues, questions now hang over the futures of several players, with an eventful transfer window looming.
Leave a Reply