Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and defender Pau Cubarsi have warned their team to prepare for Galatasaray's intimidating home atmosphere ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash in Istanbul, stressing the need for concentration, defensive discipline and a united team performance.
Barcelona face Galatasaray at RAMS Park in the second round of the UEFA Champions League, with Flick acknowledging the Turkish side's attacking quality and the influence of its passionate supporters.
Speaking at a news conference at the stadium on Monday, Flick described the atmosphere as one of the best in world football and said Barcelona would have to match Galatasaray's intensity.
"It's one of the best atmospheres in the world. The atmosphere is incredibly loud, and at certain moments, the noise and intensity here can reach extraordinary levels," Flick said.
"Galatasaray are a big team and play like one. We have to respond accordingly. They have improved a lot as a team, particularly in attack, where they have some very good players. We must play as a team and move together."
Flick credited Barcelona's performances to their hard work on the training ground but warned that previous results would count for little once the match began.
"Our success is the result of working hard in training. I'm very happy with what we have been showing on the pitch," he said. "Every game starts at 0-0, and tomorrow will be no different. It will be a difficult match, and we have to reproduce the same level of performance.
"Things develop quickly in football, so we have to stay focused. When you experience an atmosphere like this, you have to respond on the pitch."
Flick refuses to look beyond Galatasaray
Flick declined to discuss Barcelona's upcoming meeting with Real Madrid, insisting that his attention remained on Tuesday's European assignment.
"Right now, we have a match against Galatasaray. I'm not going to answer a question about Real Madrid," he said. "They are a very important team, but I can answer questions about Real Madrid before that match. Our focus right now is not on Real Madrid. I expect questions about Galatasaray."
The Barcelona coach also provided an update on Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus, saying he was pleased with the player's contribution but that his availability for the match would be determined on Tuesday.
"I'm very happy to have him in the team. It has been a positive surprise, and he has given us a good performance. He's a good player for us," Flick said.
Asked about Galatasaray's Russian player Aleksey Batrakov, Flick acknowledged that he had not watched him extensively but praised his performance in the previous match.
"I think he's a good signing for Galatasaray," Flick said. "When you're a young player, you have dreams, and Barcelona can be one of those dreams. You have to work and pursue your ambitions."
Flick also made clear that winning mattered more than the number of goals Barcelona scored.
"I would be just as happy if we won 1-0 tomorrow," he said. "We have analyzed Galatasaray, and they are a good team with quality in attack. Playing against them away from home will be a tough challenge."
He added that Barcelona would prepare a specific tactical plan and adapt to Galatasaray's strengths rather than rely solely on their own preferred style.
"You have to prepare a plan for every game, and adapting to the opponent is important. We will do that tomorrow," Flick said.
Cubarsi stresses concentration
Cubarsi echoed his coach's concerns, saying Barcelona understood the pressure Galatasaray's supporters could generate and would need to focus on the smallest details to secure a positive result.
Speaking at the same news conference, the 19-year-old defender said Barcelona were aware of Galatasaray's quality and the challenge awaiting them in Istanbul.
"We know the atmosphere here, and we have to stay focused. We need to pay attention to the small details because they will be very important in tomorrow's game," Cubarsi said.
The young defender said he was continuing to gain experience and confidence while focusing on contributing to the team and maintaining high standards.
"For me, the important thing is to be involved in the game and support the team. I will work hard, be competitive and try to perform at the highest level," he said.
Cubarsi also stressed the importance of keeping a clean sheet, saying Barcelona needed to improve defensively, particularly in demanding away environments.
"We have to pay close attention to that in stadiums like this. We need to improve in that area. We have quality, and I believe we can do better defensively," he said.
Yamal for Ballon d'Or
Cubarsi praised Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal when asked about the winger's development, describing him as the best player in the world and saying he deserved the Ballon d'Or.
"Yamal is the best in the world. Everyone can see his quality. He deserves the Ballon d'Or, and I think the same will be true after the World Cup," Cubarsi said.
The defender also identified Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen as a major threat, having faced the Nigerian forward several seasons ago.
Cubarsi described Osimhen as one of the world's best strikers and said Barcelona would need a collective defensive effort to limit his influence.
"I played against Osimhen a few seasons ago. He's a quality player who has improved. A lot has changed since his time at Napoli, and he's now one of the best forwards in the world," Cubarsi said. "We will do everything we can to make sure he doesn't cause us problems."
Galatasaray's home pressure
Cubarsi said the intensity at RAMS Park was well known across European football and recalled that Barcelona midfielder Pedri had spoken about the stadium after playing there five years earlier.
"Everyone knows the pressure this stadium creates. Pedri played here five years ago and told us about it. It's a difficult atmosphere," Cubarsi said.
He added that Barcelona could not afford to focus exclusively on individual Galatasaray players, stressing the need to prepare for the Turkish side as a collective.
"We know Galatasaray have quality. We don't prepare for just one specific player; we prepare for the team," he said.
Cubarsi said Barcelona would have to remain concentrated throughout the match and work together to withstand the crowd's pressure.
"We know what the players have told us about the pressure here and the atmosphere the fans create. We have to be fully focused and do everything possible to handle it," he said.