Flick Stays Course: Barcelona Ignores Mbappe Threat

Barcelona is prepared for Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe to feature in the upcoming Spanish Super Cup final, yet manager Hansi Flick remains steadfast in his tactical approach. He emphasizes that Barcelona's confidence in their preparation, collective structure, and players outweighs the need to alter plans based on individual opponents, regardless of their stature. The Catalan club believes they possess significant momentum heading into the match, with their recent performances and overall team balance favoring them.

Flick, however, is diligently working to prevent this positive outlook from fostering complacency within the squad. The internal message is one of calm and realism, acknowledging that any final is unpredictable and Real Madrid possesses players capable of decisive moments. Despite Mbappe's likely presence, Flick is expected to maintain Barcelona's established system and structure, with a potential minor change involving Lamine Yamal.

Defensively, the partnership of Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi is anticipated to continue, supported by full-backs Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde. While personnel changes are minimal, preparation will specifically address Mbappe's strengths, particularly his ability to exploit space and thrive in transitions. This necessitates precise positioning, aggressive pressing, and heightened alertness from Barcelona's defense.