Hansi Flick appeared satisfied in the press room. Barcelona not only returned to winning ways in the Champions League, but his team also managed to keep a clean sheet and now have four days to prepare for their match at the Metropolitano.
“Aston Villa are a great team. We defended well and we're happy with what we saw defensively. We finished the game with a clean sheet. The back line played at an incredible level; they defended everything. Joan Garcia did too,” the coach emphasised.
“It’s not about whether you make mistakes or lose, but about how you react. The next move is always the most important one,” the manager continued.
“We have to work hard. Everyone has been incredible. There was very little space between the lines, we stayed compact, and we defended well close to our own goal… It was incredible,” Flick explained.
“We wanted to press them, force them into making mistakes, and that's where the goals came from. That's how we want to play; that's our philosophy. Winning was important. You can see that we have confidence both on and off the ball,” he analysed.
Meanwhile, Flick welcomed Frenkie de Jong's return. “It's very important that he's back. He's in good shape, as you can see in training. Physically, he's still not at 100%, which is normal. We have to take it step by step. We want to have plenty of talent in every position, and with him, we have two options in that area,” he commented.
Regarding Rodri, Flick explained that the player had felt some discomfort and would undergo medical tests on Wednesday.
Raphinha appeared to make a frustrated gesture when he was substituted, but Flick clarified that it had nothing to do with the substitution.
“Raphinha was affected by what happened in Tenerife, just like all of us. We send our deepest condolences to the family, the club and the fans following this tragedy.