FC Barcelona will be intent on extending their perfect start in La Liga when they take on bitter rivals Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday night.
Having suffered their first loss of the season this week against PSG in the UEFA Champions League, Hansi Flick & co. will be intent on bouncing back strongly and strengthening their grip at the top of the La Liga standings.
Flick excited for El Clasico
Ahead of the big contest, Barcelona manager Flick spoke to the media in his pre-match press conference, where he pointed out the enormity of the occasion.
“El Clasico is different, the best match our sport has to offer. Everyone will be watching. It’s incredible. You can only win three points, but it’s so much more than that,” the German stated.
“It’s fantastic to be a part of it and we’re really looking forward to the match. We’re ready and we have confidence in the team.”
On what kind of a challenge he expected from Real Madrid, Flick added: “I expect a very confident team. Real Madrid is a great club with great players and a great coach.
“They have players with great quality in the final third. They’ve shown that in recent matches. We have to be careful and prepared.”
Flick looking forward to El Clasico. (Picture credit:X/@FCBarcelona)
Flick also spoke highly of Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, saying: “I have a lot of respect for him. When you’ve managed for so many years and had so much success, it’s a testament to his talent.
“When I was Low’s assistant, I met with him in Madrid. Every player who played under him speaks of him with great respect. He’s a colleague, and a very successful one at that.”
The Barcelona head coach also stated that their defeat to PSG was a thing of the past and the team was ready for the big clash.
“We’ve spoken with the players and analyzed the situation. We did many things well, but there are areas where we need to improve. It’s a good opportunity to grow and challenge ourselves as a team.”
One of the biggest talking points coming into the game has been Real Madrid’s constant complaints against the refereeing system in Spain, something that Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez criticised.
Giving his thoughts on the matter, Flick said: “I have confidence in the referees. We’re all part of the game. It’s important that we protect ourselves. That’s how I see it, and I don’t want to talk about these issues.”
When asked if he too was tired of the discourse surrounding Real Madrid and the referees, Flick responded by saying:
“I prefer to focus on the game and I don’t care about other things. I don’t want to make headlines, I want to focus on my team.”
Flick issues injury update, hails Rodri impact
The Barcelona head coach also confirmed that Jules Kounde will miss the Clasico, while also providing an update on Dani Olmo’s condition.
“Kounde is out. We don’t want to take any risks. It’s not the best time, but we have to accept it,” Flick said.
No Kounde for Barcelona. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
“As for Dani, he was in great form and at 100%. He’s been unlucky with how he got injured. He’s not happy because he’ll miss several games. We have Fermin and Olmo in that position, and we’ll miss him.”
The Barcelona manager also had words of praise for summer signing Rodri and the impact he has already made at the club.
“We always look at ourselves and the impact he has on Barça. When the opportunity arose to sign him, we were all convinced he would improve. He was a piece to take the next step,” he said.
“We’ve seen that in the first few matches. I’m very happy he’s here. Alongside Pedri, there’s great quality in midfield. We’re all happy with him.”
There was also an acknowledgement of Xavi Espart’s exceptional breakthrough as Flick said:
“We know how professional football is, and it’s all about performance. He did very well. It’s incredible. He has room for improvement and a lot of potential. For the moment, he’s doing very well.”
On whether Barcelona will have a special plan to stop Kylian Mbappe, Flick replied: “For us, the important thing is our positioning, with and without the ball. We need to maintain good distance between the lines and be compact.
“This is important when playing with a high defensive line. Cubarsi and Gerard are having a great season and they complement each other well; they are growing together.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo