Barcelona player delivers blunt verdict on Flick: “He wasn’t fair to me”

Barcelona wrapped up the 2024/25 season with a historic domestic treble under Hansi Flick, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. However, not all players shared in the season’s glory. One of those was 22-year-old midfielder Pablo Torre, who returned from a loan spell at Girona only to find himself sidelined for most of the campaign.

Limited minutes, scattered impact

Torre featured in just 14 official matches for Barcelona this season, totalling 421 minutes on the pitch. During that time, he contributed 4 goals and 3 assists. However, he was completely excluded from the rotation during the second half of the season. His last appearance came on 30 March 2025 against Girona, when he was subbed on for just 3 minutes.

Direct criticism of the manager

Following the end of the season, Pablo Torre openly criticised head coach Hansi Flick in an interview with Sport. The 22-year-old midfielder did not hold back:

"I think I could've played more minutes. I think I earned them. He [Flick] wasn't fair with me and I told him that personally in a talk I had with him. I have to respect his decisions even though I don't understand them."

"I don't think I looked out of place when I was on the pitch. These are things that the coach chooses; it's true there were no injuries, so it's very difficult for him to make decisions. I respect his decisions, but I often haven't understood them."

"At the end of the day what we're looking for is to play, because where we're the happiest is on the pitch. So, we'll see what happens."

Despite Flick’s general reputation for trusting youth, Torre’s comments suggest a personal disconnect. His statistical output—4 goals and 3 assists in just 421 minutes—raises questions over the selection criteria. The midfielder’s use of the term “unfair” indicates a deeper divergence between individual expectations and the coaching staff’s tactical planning.

Flick’s faith in youth

According to Barcelona’s official season review, Flick consistently trusted youth players such as Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Fermín López, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Casado, and Alejandro Balde. Moreover, the 2024/25 campaign saw the debuts of Toni Fernández, Andrés Cuenca, Sergi Domínguez, Gerard Martín, Pau Víctor, Marc Bernal, and Dani Rodríguez in the senior squad.

Torre’s performance, despite limited opportunities, suggests that the technical staff evaluated players based on different metrics. His accusation of “injustice” reveals a misalignment between player development aspirations and coaching decisions.

Future to be decided after the U21 Euros

Torre will join Spain’s U21 national team for the UEFA U21 European Championship hosted in Slovakia from 11–28 June 2025. Spain’s group stage schedule is as follows:

• 11 June: Slovakia – Spain

• 14 June: Spain – Romania

• 17 June: Italy – Spain

According to Yahoo Sports, Barcelona’s board plans to make a final decision on Torre’s future following the tournament. The current plan is to offer a short-term extension to his contract—set to expire in 2026—and then send him on loan again. If that fails, a permanent transfer with a sell-on clause will be considered.

"At the end of the day what matters is playing. That’s where we’re happiest—on the pitch. We’ll see what happens after the tournament."

Who is Pablo Torre?

Pablo Torre was born on 3 April 2003 in Soto de la Marina, a town in Cantabria, Spain. He began his youth career with local club CD Marina Sport before moving to Racing Santander in July 2015. After progressing through the academy, he was promoted to the senior team before the 2020/21 season. Following two strong seasons at Racing, he joined Barcelona in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of €6 million.

After one year at Barcelona with limited minutes, he was loaned out to Girona ahead of the 2023/24 season, where he made 29 appearances, scoring 1 goal and assisting another. He returned to Barcelona for the 2024/25 season, bringing his total appearances for the club to 27 to date.