Barcelona’s medical ‘miracle’ – No muscle injuries entering the crucial phase of the season | OneFootball

Barcelona’s season under Hansi Flick this term has been all about turnarounds.

Following a disappointing season under Xavi Hernandez, the club are once again back to being one of Europe’s best and are currently leading the league.

However, Barcelona’s turnaround story has not been all about performances, the club have done well on various other metrics, including the medical performance.

No muscle injuries at Barcelona

In a season where the fixture list is more congested than ever, Barcelona have achieved what many would consider a ‘miracle’ – no muscle injuries in the squad at this point, heading into the business end of the campaign.

While this might seem like a small detail, for a club that has struggled with persistent muscle problems in recent years, it marks a significant step forward, reports SPORT.

With Andreas Christensen returning to full training this week, Barcelona no longer has any players sidelined with muscle issues.

The report, in fact, has given a complete lowdown of Barcelona’s success story when it comes to avoiding any injury crisis this season.

Flick hasn’t had to deal with any prolonged injury crisis this season. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Muscle injuries have long haunted Barcelona, with their peak occurring during Xavi’s tenure as head coach.

Key players like Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, and Ansu Fati suffered recurring muscle problems, sidelining them for extended periods and severely impacting the team’s performance.

The squad often crumbled physically in the latter stages of matches, which was, in fact, a key theme for Barcelona under Xavi.

But all of that has changed under Flick. However, a bigger credit should be given to the Barcelona board, who were quick to improve the club’s medical staff.

The transformation

The trio of Julio Tous, Raul Martinez, and Ricard Pruna have worked seamlessly with Flick and his assistants, ensuring optimal workload management, tailored recovery programs, and a more scientific approach to injury prevention.

One of the key changes has been the intensity of physical preparation, but crucially, almost all fitness work is done with the ball. Training habits have evolved significantly.

Additionally, many players now conduct extra individual sessions outside the club, with all activities monitored by Barcelona’s fitness staff.

Pedri’s muscle problems a thing of the past now. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

From initial medical assessments to rehabilitation and gradual reintroduction to training, everything is running smoothly.

Throughout the season, players have openly acknowledged the improvement in their physical condition.

“With Flick, we work more on the physical side compared to Xavi,” Raphinha noted months ago.

“We train much more than before. The new fitness staff have been great for us. We work really hard, and you can see it in matches – our intensity does not drop after 70 or 80 minutes,” said Pedri.

This has helped Barcelona avoid a situation like Fati. Even Pedri, one of Barcelona’s most injury-prone players, is currently performing at the peak of his powers with no injuries this season.

Such efficiency when it comes to reducing injuries and performance burden on players has led to positive results for Barcelona.