Hansi Flick is aware that today may not have been Barça’s best performance, but the goal of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League has been achieved. Being constructively critical is key to continuing to improve and the German coach did not hide his dissatisfaction with the team’s first‑half performance in the 4-1 win over Copenhagen: "I’m not happy; it wasn’t a good first half," he admitted. Even so, he appreciated the reaction from the team after the break: "In the second half we were much better thanks to small adjustments." For Hansi Flick the solution is clear: "We must be capable of starting well from the beginning."

Flick placed special emphasis on the start of the match and the early goal conceded: "We conceded the first goal in a rather poor first half." All in all, he admitted that the team needs to improve in defence across the board. 

Beyond the game itself, the coach highlighted the importance of finishing within the top of the Champions League initial phase: "We now have two fewer matches. In the end we finished fifth, and that’s fantastic." He also stressed the difficulty of the tournament: "The fact that big teams have been eliminated shows how tough the competition is, although I focus exclusively on my own team."

 

On Lamine and Bernal

The coach also touched on two young talents in the Barça squad.  On Lamine Yamal, he praised the youngster’s ability to adapt despite the tough marking he receives: "Lamine has to adapt because sometimes opponents put three players on him, but he’s doing very well. He has improved a lot defensively and that’s also part of the game. I’m very happy, and he’s very important for us." He also had words of praise for Marc Bernal after his performance: "Marc Bernal played a fantastic match, and we see him train every day. He has the potential to keep improving. We all know he is an extraordinary footballer, but physically he still needs to improve after the injury he suffered."

 

 

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