'It's a joke' - Hansi Flick on the war path in ongoing Barcelona feud | OneFootball

A furious Hansi Flick took aim at the figures responsible for the punishing, record-breaking schedule Barcelona have been subjected to in recent weeks.

The Catalan giants lost their first game of 2025 against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night, briefly flirting with the prospect of a shock Champions League elimination despite boasting a 4-0 advantage heading into the second leg. Flick angrily pointed out that his players weren't in bed until 5am the following morning after travelling back from Germany and would have little time to prepare for this weekend's league meeting with Celta Vigo.

Flick has already fumed about La Liga's tight scheduling this season, questioning why his side were forced to play Osasuna so soon after the conclusion of last month's international break. Between that clash on 27 March and this week's defeat to Dortmund, Barcelona played seven games in 457 hours (19 days) which represents a new club record, according to RAC1.

"Every league protects their clubs, especially when they play in the semi-finals of the Champions League. It's unbelievable, we have no time to rest," Flick seethed in front of assembled journalists on Friday.

Barcelona host Celta Vigo on Saturday at 4.30pm local time - a kick-off schedule which the German coach was unimpressed with.

Hansi Flick's side are well placed to win a quadruple in his debut campaign / INA FASSBENDER/GettyImages

"For me, the guys responsible for that - I want to discuss it with them ... I don't want to make excuses or complain," Flick said, before complaining: "I'm happy we're not playing on Sunday at 2pm against Valladolid. But why can't we play at 6pm like we normally do? Give me one reason. To me, it's a joke and it affects Spanish football. The rest of the teams in the European leagues benefit.

"I'm speechless because this situation is unbelievable. In the Bundesliga or Premier League, they take care of their clubs... They [La Liga] have no idea what this [arriving late] means for the players."

Fellow Champions League semi-finalists Paris Saint-Germain had their Ligue 1 fixture before the second leg against Aston Villa postponed entirely to provide more preparation time.

Yet, Barcelona's continued success is contributing to this logistical nightmare. Flick's side are still involved in three different competitions, battling Real Madrid for the La Liga title and Copa del Rey crown alongside their European commitments.

The unrelenting churn of matches won't slow down any time soon, as Barcelona have to navigate nine games in the space of 29 days.