Freaky Flicky way - lock players after loss

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick took drastic measures after his side’s slip-up against Rayo Vallecano, shutting his players inside the dressing room to deliver a stern reality check.

The Blaugrana’s perfect start to the campaign came to an abrupt halt in Madrid, where they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw. Only a standout performance from new signing Joan Garcia in goal spared them from an even worse outcome.

Barcelona had begun the season in style, sweeping aside Mallorca 3-0 before edging Levante 3-2 away from home. Yet, despite the results, Flick’s dissatisfaction had been simmering from the very start. The stalemate against Rayo gave him the chance to finally unleash his frustration.

According to The Athletic, the German boss addressed his squad behind closed doors with words that echoed his press conference — but with sharper emphasis.

"The most important thing is that, when the transfer window is closed, everyone who stays is 100 per cent committed to this club,' Flick said after the match. "No egos, because egos kill success. Last season, we played as one unit. We have to be like this again now."

Many in the locker room reportedly accepted Flick’s criticism as fair and even necessary. His timing was also deliberate: placing the message just before the international break so it would linger with the players during their time away.

Still, not everyone agreed with his diagnosis. Rising star Lamine Yamal suggested in a post-match interview with Spanish channel TVE that the team’s issues went beyond personal agendas.

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"Egos? Everyone has their opinion, but I don't think our problems are down to that,' Yamal insisted. 'It has to do with the fact that we have not started the season with the same intensity we ended the last one."

Flick will now look for a reaction when Barcelona return to action against Valencia after the break.