Hansi Flick’s half-time substitutions starting to raise serious questions – Worry or just tactics?

Barcelona’s 2025/26 season has been anything but smooth. With several key players sidelined due to injuries, Hansi Flick’s side has struggled to build rhythm or consistency. 

Even after their hard-fought 2-1 win over Girona, the overall performance raised familiar questions – why does Flick keep changing his line-up halfway through matches, and what does it say about the team’s current state?

The match against Girona once again followed a now-familiar pattern. Flick started with Toni Fernandez, but after a quiet first half, he replaced him with Fermin Lopez during the break. 

It seemed like a small tactical decision, but it marked the eighth time in nine La Liga matches this season that the manager has made a substitution at half-time. 

Last season, such changes were rare – just 13 in 38 games – but this year, it has become a regular occurrence.

These frequent halftime adjustments have prompted debate about whether Flick is rethinking his initial line-ups or simply responding to what he sees on the pitch. 

The German coach has made halftime changes in eight of his eleven matches so far, eight of those in La Liga, which shows it is not just a one-off trend.

Tactical fine-tuning or signs of uncertainty?

Fermin Lopez came on at half-time against Girona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

When asked about his decision-making after the Girona game, Flick explained that his changes are made “on a match-by-match basis.” 

Most of them, however, appear to be driven by necessity. In several games, Barcelona have struggled to impose themselves early, forcing Flick to act quickly, either to shift tactics or inject energy into the team. 

In a few cases, such as against Getafe, when the team was leading 2-0, the change came even with the score in their favour, suggesting Flick’s intention was not just reactive but also about maintaining control.

Still, it is clear this season has tested his adaptability more than the previous one. During the same period last year, Flick had made only one halftime substitution. 

Ironically, the only match this season where Flick didn’t alter his line-up at the break was also against Rayo, on matchday three.

Whether these halftime shake-ups represent tactical flexibility or deeper uncertainty remains to be seen, but for now, they have become a defining feature of Barcelona’s unpredictable season.