Hansi Flick was satisfied with his team’s performance, particularly the 4-2 victory that allowed Barcelona to pick up another three points, although he admitted that his side struggled in the second half. The German coach also took responsibility for Levante’s first goal, saying he should have made the already-planned substitution of Xavi Espart earlier. However, he believes moments like these provide valuable lessons for the future.
The German coach explained: “We had a great start, but in the second half we suffered a little. At 3-0, we should have had more control, and Levante played very well at home.” He also criticized the condition of the pitch: “The field wasn’t very good. It wasn’t the way it should have been.”
Flick took the blame for Levante’s opening goal: “The first goal we conceded was my fault. We wanted to make the substitution and Espart had asked for it, but we decided to wait. Still, I’m happy. We won and had a great start to the game.” He also pointed to the importance of managing the squad with the upcoming fixtures in mind: “We also had to think about the next games, Wednesday’s match against Racing and next Saturday’s game against Sevilla, again away from home.”
He acknowledged that Barcelona had to endure some difficult moments but accepted them as part of the learning process: “It wasn’t easy, even though it may look easy. In the end, we have to suffer, and there are situations where we need to do much better. But surviving in those situations is also a way of improving.”
Flick also highlighted how difficult it is to beat Levante away from home. “The game wasn’t over at half-time, and that’s normal. That’s what I told the players. They were playing at home and, of course, they wanted to win. They hadn’t lost at home in their previous eight games. They played a great match at home,” he said.
The match also provided Barcelona with several areas to work on, with Flick explaining: “What we’re looking for is to improve in certain areas, such as our positioning and some of our passing. That’s what we work on.”
Asked about Lamine Yamal taking the penalty, Flick explained: “‘Dela’ (José Ramón de la Fuente) is in charge of set pieces. The players decide, and whoever is feeling best at that moment takes it. I think that’s the best approach. We are a team, and everyone can take a penalty.” His comments made it clear that the decision comes from the players themselves.
Flick also had plenty of praise for Adeyemi, who scored Barcelona’s fourth goal to provide some much-needed breathing room: “I’m not surprised. When he’s focused, he’s a fantastic player. I’ve known him for many years and I know what he can give us. He was especially fantastic for the fourth goal. That’s what I want to see from him. Not being happy and relaxed, but always staying focused.”