Not even a scare was enough to take the shine out of Hansi Flick’s mood. The German coach praised certain aspects of Barcelona’s performance, but also pointed out where they still have room for improvement.
“We played fantastically in the first half. Going 0-1 down can happen, but our reaction was good,” Flick began. Watching from the stands was Gabriel Jesus, whom Hansi is clearly looking forward to welcoming with open arms.
Flick then highlighted what he wants Barcelona to improve. “When you’re 3-1 up, you have to control the game better, especially at home. We have the quality to keep more possession,” he said.
“It’s clear that the mentality and attitude of some players is always to want to attack, but you can also rest with the ball. That’s very important for our style. We have to find situations where the ball does the running, rather than us doing all the running,” he explained.
“That’s one of the reasons Rodri is here. Physically, he still has to improve because he has only just arrived,” Flick added.
The German coach also had words of praise for Rayo. “They did very well. They have some very quick players. They attacked well and were also dangerous from set pieces. We have to improve in those situations,” he admitted.
Flick was also pleased with the arrival of Gabriel Jesus, who, despite not yet being officially announced, was able to watch the game from the directors’ box.
“He’s a top striker. He’ll be important for us. He can give us a lot, and I’m happy that he’s here,” Flick said.
“He’s had some injuries, but everything is fine now. I spoke to him this afternoon, and he was a little surprised to have the opportunity. I like his style. He’ll fit into our way of playing. It’s an important signing. I’m grateful to Deco because, once again, he did a fantastic job,” Flick added.
Asked whether there would be any more signings before the transfer window closes, Hansi said he didn’t think so, although he left the door open with a simple: “We’ll see.”
“Raphinha is a world-class player. The situation with the captaincy is very positive for him. Lamine is playing at an incredible level,” Flick said when asked about two of his star players.
“Today, I’m happy about many things. It’s not easy for some of the players who have just arrived to perform at this level. The team spirit is impressive,” he concluded.