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Young Belgian Player Surprises Barcelona Coach Hansi Flick

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Listen to the story

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has a new surprise this season: a young Belgian player called Jesse Bisiwu.

Bisiwu was not expected to be an important player this year. However, Flick seems to have other plans for him.

According to reports, Barcelona already has an immediate roadmap for Bisiwu's development at the club.

This means the club has a clear plan for how Bisiwu will train and play in the coming months.

Meanwhile, there is also news about Barcelona's Champions League squad. One player has reportedly been left out.

This player is not Pedri and is not Fermin, two well-known names at Barcelona. The decision was made by Flick.

The identity of the excluded player has not been confirmed in the available information.

This kind of decision is common before big competitions like the Champions League, when coaches must choose a final squad.

Flick has shown he is willing to make bold choices, both by trusting a new young talent and by leaving out an established player.

Fans and journalists are now paying close attention to Bisiwu, who many believe could become an important figure in Barcelona's future plans.

More details about the roadmap and the excluded player are expected to become clear as the season continues.

Vocabulary6 words

Bisiwu
a young football player from Belgium mentioned in the story
roadmap
a clear plan for what will happen next
Champions League
a top football competition between European clubs
decision
a choice made after thinking about it
competitions
events where teams or people try to win
squad
the group of players chosen for a team

Quiz

1. What has Hansi Flick reportedly created for Jesse Bisiwu?
2. Which two players are mentioned as NOT being the excluded player?
3. True or False: The identity of the player left out of the Champions League squad is confirmed in the story.

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has a new _____ this season: a young Belgian player called Jesse Bisiwu.

Bisiwu was not expected to be an important player this year. However, Flick seems to have other _____ for him.

According to reports, Barcelona already has an immediate _____ for Bisiwu's development at the club.

This means the club has a clear plan for how Bisiwu will _____ and play in the coming months.

Meanwhile, there is also news about Barcelona's Champions League _____. One player has reportedly been left out.

This player is not Pedri and is not Fermin, two well-known names at Barcelona. The _____ was made by Flick.

The _____ of the excluded player has not been confirmed in the available information.

This kind of decision is common before big competitions like the Champions League, when coaches must choose a final _____.

Flick has shown he is willing to make _____ choices, both by trusting a new young talent and by leaving out an established player.

Fans and journalists are now paying close attention to Bisiwu, who many believe could become an important _____ in Barcelona's future plans.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think coaches sometimes surprise fans by choosing young, unknown players?
  2. What qualities do you think a young football player needs to impress a coach like Flick?
  3. Do you think it is fair for coaches to leave out well-known players from important competitions? Why or why not?
  4. What effect might a clear 'roadmap' have on a young player's development?

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