With Flick's approval: Barcelona apply an unusual protocol on penalties

Who takes the penalties at Barcelona? Raphinha has the final word

Barcelona have been awarded 5 penalties this season, 3 of them in a single match, specifically in last Wednesday's clash against Racing Santander.

Three spot-kicks in one game is a rarity. But the Catalans' relentless attacking tide overwhelmed their visitors, with centre-back Pedro Henrique lending a hand by going in recklessly on two occasions.

Sport newspaper reported that the matter of Barcelona's penalty takers has become a subject of debate at the start of this season.

The paper added: "There is naturally no cause for concern, because the Catalan side are moving at full speed."

How the dressing room settles the pecking order internally makes for intriguing reading, and more importantly, who has the final word. The protocol varies from one team to another. At some clubs the coach designates the taker, depending on the circumstances and the players on the pitch.

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Flick places his full trust in De la Fuente, Hansi and Westermann
In other cases, the assistants or coaching staff specifically assigned to set pieces take on this task. Here, Hansi Flick places his full trust in Jose Ramon de la Fuente and Heiko Westermann.
Since the German manager's arrival, the goalkeeping coach has played a key role in set pieces. For reasons of language too, he takes on the job of motivating the team and reminding players, usually at high volume, of the role each of them must carry out. Flick's German assistant plays an equally fundamental part in the strategy.
Penalty kicks fall under these tasks as well. That does not mean Flick wants nothing to do with such matters. He simply delegates them entirely to his coaching staff, out of blind trust in them, and because Barcelona have for months been working well on this front. Marcus Rashford played an important role in that work last season.
Olmo, Lamine and Raphinha are the three penalty takers this season. Rashford stood out thanks to his powerful, direct way of striking the ball, but the void he left has been filled by other options.
Flick returned to the subject of penalties recently: "I do not decide who takes the penalty, the members of the coaching staff decide that. Whoever feels ready to take it, takes it."

AFP
Raphinha the spiritual leader
But Hansi Flick also made it clear that the players themselves are the ones who make the final decision on the pitch.
Raphinha is the "leader" in this regard, and that was clearly evident last Wednesday at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Having won the first penalty himself, Raphinha stepped up and scored it. The second, awarded after Karim Adeyemi was brought down, he handed to Lamine Yamal, who missed. Then Raphinha took the third, which Adeyemi had also won, and buried it to complete his hat-trick.
The name of the player who wins the penalty does influence the decision, of course. But after being fouled for the second time, the German looked at Raphinha and asked him to take it, fully aware that the Brazilian ranks first and holds the authority to make that call.
Next in the hierarchy comes Lamine Yamal. Against Levante, for example, Lamine won a penalty at 2-0 and took it himself with Raphinha's approval.
What is striking is that when a penalty is awarded, any Barcelona player who picks up the ball goes straight to hand it to Raphinha for him to make the decision, as he is currently the best taker in the squad, but when the score is comfortable, other options emerge.