During the season, Hansi Flick faced issues with players arriving late to training sessions and pre-match meetings. To address this, he penalized players like Koundé, Iñaki Peña, and Rashford by dropping them from the starting lineup, which sometimes disrupted the team’s performance.
Due to financial considerations, the club shifted from benching players to imposing fines. A 10-minute delay now costs €40,000, and arriving late on matchday could result in a ban from playing.
Flick admitted he found the original system stressful, as he was constantly checking the clock while waiting for late players. He then delegated the decision-making to team captains, and since then, no player has arrived late.
This change fostered a healthier atmosphere in the squad. Moving away from harsh lineup punishments to monetary penalties helped maintain team spirit and effectiveness on the field.
