The road to retaining the Copa del Rey begins for FC Barcelona tomorrow with the last 32 match against Guadalajara, an opponent from the Primera Federación who will face the blaugranes for the first time at the Pedro Escartín stadium. Despite the difference in divisions, Hansi Flick doesn't want any complacency and has warned that the tie will require the highest level of focus.

“We are favourites, that is clear, but I want to see it on the pitch. We have to show our quality on the pitch”, assured the German coach during the prematch press conference. Flick made a point of emphasising the importance of the approach and start to the game, stating that “It is about how we approach it and how we start. That is the basis of the tie for me. We have to show we are favourites with a great attitude, because it will be difficult otherwise”.

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'We are favourites, but I want to see it on the pitch'

"Joan Garcia will rest"

One of the question marks is around the goalkeeper. The blaugrana coach still hasn't decided, but he has confirmed that Joan Garcia will rest. “We haven't decided which keeper will start. We will do that tomorrow, but I will speak to the players first and then we will communicate it. Both Szczesny and Ter Stegen are fantastic keepers and we will see what happens”.

The German also left the door open to potential changes to the starting eleven. “There will probably be some movements and some rotation, but we won't decide until tomorrow”, he explained without giving anything else away.

"There is still a lot of work to do"

On the team's current form, Flick appeared satisfied with the current progress, while remaining prudent regarding the context of the season. “We have improved a lot in the last four weeks and we want to continue that development. It is all a process. We are not at the end of the road, we are halfway through the season and we still have a lot of potential to improve”, he emphasised. Similarly, he remarked that the aim is to develop game on game, stating “We want to be able to improve in every game”.

Lastly, Flick was clear on the major challenge this season. “We aim to win titles and I think we have the quality to do it, but there is a long way to go. There is still a lot of work to do”, he concluded, with the focus already on the first challenge in the Copa del Rey.

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