According to a report by Barca Universal on Monday, November 2, 2026, former Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez has criticised Hansi Flick's squad management at Barcelona, questioning the German manager's approach to player rotation and the heavy workload of key players, including Pedri, Rodri and Lamine Yamal.

Suarez believes Flick needs to make better use of his available squad options to ensure his most important players remain fresh for crucial fixtures throughout the season.

Speaking on Movistar+, the former Atletico midfielder questioned Flick's decision to substitute Rodri during Barcelona's Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain but allow him to play the entire 90 minutes against Alaves.

He argued that the midfielder should have been rested ahead of Barcelona's upcoming difficult fixtures against Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid.

Suarez also expressed surprise that Flick failed to introduce available alternatives such as Gavi, particularly when Barcelona had already established a comfortable advantage against Alaves.

The former midfielder further raised concerns about the number of minutes accumulated by Barcelona's key players this season. According to him, Pedri and Rodri are approaching 1,000 minutes of action, while Lamine Yamal has already surpassed that figure.

He believes Barcelona's comfortable victories should provide Flick with opportunities to rest his regular starters rather than keeping them on the pitch for the entire match.

Suarez also stressed that reducing players' workloads could become particularly important towards the end of the campaign, arguing that having 500 or 600 fewer minutes of football by April or May could help them maintain their physical condition during decisive competitions.

He cited Paris Saint-Germain as an example, explaining how the French club carefully manages the playing time of its important players during domestic matches to keep them fresh for major European encounters.

Suarez acknowledged that Barcelona also enjoy convincing victories that offer similar opportunities for rotation. However, he believes Flick must improve his squad management if the Catalan giants are to compete for and win every available trophy this season.