Breaking: Barcelona keep their foot on the gas in the Copa del Rey. A composed, efficient win at Racing Santander pushes the streak to 11. Hansi Flick called it nothing. The football said everything.
Barcelona’s calm control
From the first whistle, Barcelona set a steady rhythm. Short passes. Clever angles. No panic. Racing Santander brought noise and bite, but Barcelona brought shape and patience. That balance told the story.
The wide players stretched the field and pinned the fullbacks. The midfield sat on the right lines, always in support. The back line stepped in together, then dropped as one. Racing chased shadows more than the ball. Barcelona made a tricky cup tie look like routine work. That is the point. Routine wins turn into long runs.
Barcelona extend their winning run to 11 straight in all competitions after a controlled Copa del Rey victory at Racing Santander.
Flick’s quiet blueprint
Hansi Flick did not celebrate the streak. He did not invite a party. He leaned on the plan. He used familiar triggers. Press on the second touch. Break lines with the third pass. Run in behind when the block shifts. It sounds simple. It looks simple. It is very hard to execute for 90 minutes.
The coach’s tone fits the team’s mood. No drama. Few frills. Barcelona are quicker without rushing. Sharper without forcing. They hunt the ball in packs, then cool the game with the first pass after the win. The spacing in midfield is neat. The distances between lines are tight. Mistakes are rare. That comes from habit, not hype.
- What Flick’s Barca are nailing right now:
- Clean rest defense to kill counters
- Early pressure on the ball carrier
- Width that opens central lanes
- Calm game management after taking control
The standard behind the streak
Flick keeps standards above sentiment. He rotates where needed, yet the structure holds. That builds trust in the room. Players know the jobs. They see how the plan wins. Eleven in a row can seduce a group. Flick will not let it. He keeps asking for the next pass, the next stop, the next sprint.
Racing’s resistance and the swing moments
Racing Santander brought energy and pride. The home crowd lived every duel. The first 20 minutes were tight. Racing tried to hit quick diagonals into the channels. Barcelona read those early balls and cut them off. When Racing did break the press, the visitors recovered fast. Two or three touches later, Barcelona had the ball again.
The swing came with composure. Barcelona did not chase a wild second gear. They took care of the details. Win the second ball. Take a tactical foul when needed. Keep set pieces clean. Each small win piled up. The host’s best look came from distance. Barcelona’s came from patience and timing. That is the difference in cup football on difficult nights.
In knockout games, control is a weapon. It quiets the stands, then the match, then the clock.
Why downplaying matters in January
The message from the coach is clear. The streak is not the prize. Silverware is the prize. Downplaying the run keeps heads cool. It keeps training honest. It also frames the rivalry race. While rivals have had tense cup moments, Barcelona look steady. Not loud. Not flashy. Just steady.
This posture matters in a Spanish winter. Pitches get heavy. Crowds get loud. Small details decide ties. Teams that lean on mood can swing with it. Teams that lean on method do not. Flick is choosing method. He is choosing repetition, not speeches. That wins in January and lasts into May.
Culture check
Barcelona’s identity is tied to the ball. But it is the work without it that stands out now. Wingers chase fullbacks to the corner flag. Midfielders slide as one unit. Forwards track the first pass out. The badge wants elegance. The team is adding grit. That blend travels well in cup football.
What it means next
Eleven wins do not grant a trophy. They do build a spine. Barcelona look fitter, smarter, and calmer. The Copa del Rey demands this blend. Tonight showed it in full, on a tense northern night, against a proud historic club. Racing fought. Barcelona absorbed and imposed.
Flick will shrug off the number. He should. He will point to the next session and the next draw. Inside the camp, the lesson is simple. Keep the habits. Keep the distance lines tight. Keep the goal clear. If Barcelona keep living in that space, the run will matter only as a mile marker on the road to silver.
The verdict from this tie is plain. This is a team in control of matches and of itself. The streak can live on. The standard must, and under Flick, it does.
