Barcelona players face £35,000 fine if they break strict matchday rule

Wait 5 sec.

Hansi Flick has laid down the law with his Barcelona players, even if they are only ten minutes late.Pedri and Ferran Torres appeared on a Spanish TV programme called ‘El Hormiguero’ and revealed the secrets inside the Barcelona dressing room. Pedri arrived at Barcelona in 2020 at the age of 17 from Las PalmasEuropa Press via GettyThe German manager has built a culture based on discipline since he arrived in May 2024, after the departure of Xavi Hernandez.The Catalan team currently sit top of La Liga, one point above their main rivals Real Madrid.After Flick guided his team to win the domestic double last year, La Liga and the Copa del Rey, it is clear he has instilled a well-ordered atmosphere into the team dynamic.On the show, the two forwards spoke about the ex-Bayern Munich manager’s strict code of conduct.They said: “Flick is strict about punctuality in the locker room, he likes us to keep it tidy and pick up our clothes off the floor.“If you’re late, you now have to pay a fine on matchday. “The fine for being ten minutes late on match days is €40,000 [£35,000], he says it shows a lack of focus.“I honestly can’t imagine how much 20 minutes would be, you might as well send him a photo of ibuprofen, honestly you might as well stay home.“If you arrive late, the rest have to wait for you and I find that disrespectful.Pedri added: “I’m one of those who arrives early, Flick is a good manager.”Ferran Torres is Barcelona’s top scorer so far this season, with 12 goals in La LigaGettyTorres spoke about how he’s protective of the 23-year-old as he understands how important the Canary Islander is for the team.The loved star was injured for a month after he suffered a hamstring problem yet he returned in a 3-0 win against Levante this Sunday.Pedri is important not only to Barcelona but also Spain’s national team as he became the youngest player to represent the country at the 2020 Euros [Lamine Yamal broke it again in Euro 2024 at 16] when he was only 18-years-old.Additionally, he surpassed Lionel Messi‘s 15-year-old record to become the youngest player to reach 150 La Liga appearances for the club.Torres said: “I take good care of Pedri and I’m very attentive to him because we depend on him a lot and he needs to be in good shape.“He’s a player who gives us a lot because he controls the tempo of the game.Ferran Torres and Hansi Flick backed each other up in an argument during a clash with Atletico MadridGetty“Pedri gets cheered in every stadium and I get insulted, they call me a ‘little sardine’ instead of a ‘shark’ but I like it.”“I’m the joker, I’m more of a go-getter than a defender and we believe we’re going to win everything within our reach, as long as we’re alive.”The club are currently still in contention for every trophy available, even though they are 4-0 down in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Diego Simeone‘s side.On the other hand, they are 4-1 up in the first leg of their knockout game in the Champions League versus Kobenhavn.Pedri replied: “I’ve become his [Torres] taxi driver, he’s already asked me what time I’m picking him up in the morning.“He gets in with his coffee and the only thing missing is for him to tell me to stop talking and just drive.”The Valencian forward has played in 31 games and scored 15 goals in all competitions, which is his best season yet since he moved from Manchester City.The Barca duo also spilt more secrets in their televised interview, after they revealed if they could sign any player from Real Madrid, they would choose Mbappe.The former Premier League player also said he practices intermittent fasting where he eats his dinner around 8pm and then won’t eat till 2pm the next day, with the habit making him more energetic during training.He also exposed that before a game, the team will have a good breakfast that will keep them strong throughout the game, with the meal being ‘white chocolate waffles’.Torres also described the feeling of scoring a goal to the presenters in an x-rated way.“Scoring a goal is like an orgasm, it’s a super beautiful feeling and it’s like you’ve reached the top.”