While Barcelona thrilled on their way to winning La Liga last season, scoring 102 goals in the process, coach Hansi Flick accepts this season his team need to improve defensively.

With teenager Lamine Yamal and Raphinha shining in attack, the Catalan giants proved an irresistible force as they claimed a domestic treble.

However the German coach's high-pressing defensive line sometimes left Barcelona high and dry at the back, even as it made for frequently gripping, end-to-end matches.

The team's 7-6 Champions League semi-final aggregate defeat by Inter Milan was a prime example of the risks inherent in their set-up.

"For me, it's not always fun, sometimes I really suffer a lot," admitted Flick in May after Barca beat rivals Real Madrid 4-3 in a wild Clasico battle to move to the brink

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