Hansi Flick is approaching Barcelona’s demanding run of matches against Real Betis, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in just eight days with great enthusiasm and without complaints. The German coach accepts that every season has periods of intense fixture congestion. In doing so, he distanced himself from José Mourinho’s complaints about the amount of rest time between matches.
Flick sought to accept the situation by highlighting what he and his team can control.
“We find ourselves in this situation every season. I know things are different in other countries, but this is how it is for us. There were many situations over the past two seasons when we thought, ‘What is this?’ I remember when we had to travel back from Valencia by bus because our flight was cancelled, and then we had to play two days later.
“What I tell the team is that there are no excuses. This is the situation, and what we can do is focus on how we play. I am 100% convinced by my team. The quality we have right now is incredible, and the quality everyone is showing is exactly what I want to see. This is the way we want to play football.
“We have the potential to improve until we reach 100%, and we can do it. That is the path I want us to follow. We cannot change the situation; we have to accept it,” the Barcelona coach stated.
When asked about the upcoming matches against PSG and Real Madrid, Flick insisted that the immediate priority was the game against Betis and praised the Andalusian side.
“The most important thing is to beat Betis tomorrow. They are full of confidence because they have won all their home matches, and they have also had very good results in the Champions League. They are in a good position in both La Liga and the Champions League.
“We are facing a fantastic team, especially in attack and in one-on-one situations. We will have to defend very well tomorrow. That is what we need to do. They are one of the best teams, and it is incredible to see how much they have improved over the past year. Manuel Pellegrini has done a fantastic job.”
Along the same lines, Flick continued to praise his own team's performances.
“We are only focusing on the next match. At the moment, I am not concerned about what happens after tomorrow’s game. We are concentrating on what we can do and on delivering our best level in every match.
“It is true that these three games will be difficult, but the match against Galatasaray was not easy either, and we defended fantastically. What Pedri, Rodri and Fermín did was fantastic, and we want to show that in every match.”
Barcelona’s strong form was also evident in Flick’s praise for his players during the press conference ahead of the visit to Betis. In addition to describing Lamine Yamal as “special”, the German coach spoke enthusiastically about Dani Olmo, Fermín López and Pablo Páez ‘Gavi’ when asked about them.
Olmo delivered a good performance playing as a number nine in Istanbul, and Flick explained that the team had needed to find solutions.
“We have to find solutions, and that is what we did. For me, Dani is an incredible player, and he is also an incredible person. It is the combination of his abilities as a footballer and his character.
“I really appreciate what I see in him, and he has demonstrated that on the pitch. Over the past six months, he has improved a lot. We know he is a fantastic player who gives us a great deal.
“We know he can play as a number nine. It is not easy, and he has demonstrated that on several occasions, both with us and with the national team.”
Flick also discussed Fermín’s ability to play in an advanced role, while explaining why his movement into the penalty area is particularly important to Barcelona’s style of play.
“He can also play as a number nine, but for us, what matters more is where he comes from and how he gets into the penalty area. You can see that in the second goal against Galatasaray. That is the way we play, our style: attacking from outside the penalty area. It is very important.
“Those two players, in that position and at that level, are incredible. Dani is a very important player. When we defend, he is very well connected with the team, and the same applies to Fermín, who also has the confidence to score goals.
“Being able to choose between these two players is fantastic.”
Gavi could be in line for a starting place against Betis after also featuring from the beginning against Getafe in La Liga.
“He was not called up to the national team, and he was a little sad about that. We could see it in training during the international break. But he trained very well. He is a great professional and wants to improve every day.
“In terms of intensity and concentration, Gavi is at a very high level. He gives everything for the team and the club, and we need players with that kind of character.
“He is a top player when he is at his best, and he is close to reaching 100%. For us, he is a great option, including for tomorrow’s match.”
Hansi Flick spoke to the media ahead of the Betis–Barcelona match, a high-profile encounter that should provide a showcase for technically gifted players, with Lamine Yamal hoping to once again take centre stage.
The coach acknowledged that he is aware the winger has been playing almost every match, but he does not want to hold him back given his current form and positive mindset.
“It is not an easy question because he is a very special player, and I know we have to manage his minutes. But the most important thing for him is to enjoy playing football. He is doing that right now, and I do not want to interrupt that,” the German coach commented.
In contrast to Lamine Yamal, his friend Alejandro Balde has had limited playing time. Flick acknowledged that the situation is challenging for the full-back but praised his professionalism in training.
“At the moment, it is not an easy situation for him. But he is training, which is the first thing he needs to do, and he is training very well.
“In that position, we have Xavi Espart and João Cancelo, two top players who are performing at a very high level. That is what I can say.
“Of course, the situation is not ideal for Balde, but he is doing his job professionally, and that is what I want. When you find yourself in that situation, you need to demonstrate that you are ready if the team needs you, and that is exactly what he is doing.”