According to a report by Barca Universal on Monday October 26, 2026, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has identified a lack of physical freshness as one of the major problems affecting his team following their 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the 2026/27 season.

The Catalan giants suffered their first defeat in 10 La Liga matches, with Real Madrid taking advantage of their weaknesses to secure an important victory.

Speaking after the game, Flick admitted that his players were not at their best physically and needed to recover quickly ahead of their upcoming fixtures.

“We played against an opponent that was better than in previous Clásicos. We weren’t fresh. We have to recover, concentrate, and react,” Flick said, as quoted by AS.

Barcelona improved after the interval and managed to equalise, but their attacking approach eventually left them exposed to a Real Madrid counter-attack that produced the decisive goal.

Flick acknowledged that his team had not performed at its usual level and insisted that the players must regain their energy if they want to return to winning ways.

The German manager also refused to use the demanding schedule as an excuse, despite Barcelona’s recent travel commitments and injury problems.

The defeat was Barcelona’s second loss in the same week, something Flick admitted was disappointing for both the team and its supporters.

“We’ve had two defeats this week and that’s too many for me, and, no doubt, for the Barça fans as well. But this is part of the sport and we have to bounce back,” he added.

Barcelona’s injury concerns have further complicated the situation, with Flick revealing that several players had suffered knocks. The manager also suggested that he could turn to La Masia for reinforcements if defensive options remain limited.

Flick is hopeful that some injured players will return soon as Barcelona prepare for their next matches before the international break.