Hansi Flick talks Gavi, Cancelo, Pedri, Yamal, Roony, Eric Garcia, Olmo after Barcelona 5-2 Sevilla | OneFootball

FC Barcelona were able to retain their lead at the top of the La Liga table last night as they beat Sevilla with a 5-2 scoreline. The Catalans, thus, end this matchday four points clear of Real Madrid.

There were several positives for the Blaugrana side on the night, as they scored five goals in the match. Raphinha scored a hat-trick, while Dani Olmo and Joao Cancelo also got on the scoresheet with their strikes.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, Hansi Flick talked to the press after the full-time whistle, and while expressing his happiness with the result, he still highlighted some areas for improvement from his team:

“The return of Gavi and the five goals were very good, but the pace of the match was very slow and wasn’t positive during the game. We need to improve on this.”

He added:

“I’m happy with the three points and that there’s one less game to play, but we need to be better with our pressing ahead of Wednesday against Newcastle. There were situations on the pitch I didn’t like much. We lacked conviction. We’ve played many matches, and for some, it’s too much effort. We need to play faster. We must stay focused because Newcastle is a good team. Let it be clear: I’m happy, and I’m not negative, but this week is very important, and Wednesday will decide if we move on in the Champions League.”

Several players were singled out for praise by Flick for their performances:

“Olmo played a fantastic match, as did Raphinha and Xavi Espart.”

He spoke highly of Joao Cancelo, who has regained his rhythm after joining Barcelona in January:

“Cancelo needed a little time to adapt because he hadn’t played since November, and in the last few matches, he’s been at a fantastic technical level. On the first goal, the way he entered the area to force the penalty was excellent. He still has a bit more to grasp the idea, but he was the ideal choice.”

Hansi Flick also addressed the recovery of Pedri and the careful management of his minutes:

“We wanted Pedri to play 45 minutes, and we were able to manage that as we wanted. I don’t know when he will be able to play 90 minutes. We have to go step by step and adapt. He has had two injuries, so we have to be careful.”

The coach explained his decision to start Roony Bardghji to manage Yamal’s game time ahead of the Newcastle clash:

“It was good for him to play a bit to maintain his rhythm. We had already planned for him to play a while. Also, Roony had some issues.”

Gavi’s return after a six-month absence also drew praise:

“It was the right situation with such a wide result. He won one-on-one duels, and we are very happy he’s back.”

Hansi Flick was sympathetic towards goalkeeper Joan Garcia’s frustration after conceding two goals.

“It’s normal for him to be upset. I’ve never seen a goalkeeper happy after conceding goals. On the first goal, we should have pressed better, but on the second, we were 5-1 up. We need to be smarter, pass the ball, and let them move. That’s what I wanted to see, but we always think about attacking. In the last 10 minutes, we needed to hold the ball more.”

The coach also shared his experience of observing the FC Barcelona elections:

“Voting is secret, but it’s a special day. I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s a sensational day.”

This victory not only boosts Barcelona’s confidence domestically but also sets a positive tone ahead of the crucial UEFA Champions League second leg against Newcastle United. Flick will be looking to carry this momentum into midweek as the team aims to advance to the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite competition.