Hansi Flick gives 'broken' Barcelona players two days off after shock loss to Leganes as dire La Liga run continues

A hapless Barcelona side went down 1-0 against Leganes on Sunday at home as they saw their lead at the top of the table cut. Atletico Madrid, who beat Getafe 1-0 on the same night, are now tied on points with the Catalan giants with a game in hand. Barcelona have collected just five points from their last six league matches and have lost in three games in this period.

The poor run of form has taken a toll on the environment of the dressing room, according to AS, which has prompted manager Flick to grant a two-day leave to the 'broken' Barcelona squad to recover mentally from the setback. The German coach did not appear on the sidelines during the Leganes clash but after the game, he had a chat with his assistant Marcus Sorg and the duo concluded that the team 'need a mental refresher'.

Since Flick arrived at the Catalan club, the players have been used to attending training sessions a day after a game, however, the former Bayern boss made an exception this time as he wanted to rejuvenate his players mentally.

Flick's side will play their final game of 2024 against Atletico Madrid on Saturday before La Liga comes to a halt for the winter break.