Hansi Flick talks Pedri, Raphinha, Gerard Martin, Eric Garcia and Xabi Alonso after Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna | OneFootball

Barcelona registered a 2-0 win over Osasuna at home last night with Raphinha scoring a brace for the team.

The win takes the Catalans to 43 points in the league, seven points clear of Real Madrid provisionally who play later today against Deportivo Alaves.

Speaking to the media after the game, Hansi Flick opened up on the touchline about his team’s dominance against Osasuna and how pleased he was with the performance.

“We dominated the match, and I think our playing dynamic and our speed with the ball in the first half were not up to the required level.”

“In the second half, the performance was much better; we continued circulating the ball from one side to the other, but with the dynamic we want to see,” he added.

Flick then spoke on how important not only the result but also the dominance was for him.

“And I’m happy, because the most important thing today was securing the three points. We dominated with 80%, and for me, this clarifies the picture.”

“They defended with great depth near their goal, and therefore it wasn’t easy for us to create chances,” he added.

Flick speaks to the media

Shortly later, the Barcelona manager faced the press in the traditional post-game press conference and once again elaborated on all the positives he took away from the win.

“Today, the most important thing was the three points, and I think we controlled the match and controlled everything. We also put in a very good performance on the defensive level.”

“And perhaps we didn’t get the most dangerous chances, but in the end, the most important thing is that we scored two goals and secured three points,” he added.

Praising Pedri for his extraordinary performance once more, the manager said,

“Pedri is a fantastic player, top class. What can I say about him? He’s an absolutely amazing player.”

Pedri was stunning against Osasuna. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Flick was then asked about his verdict on the experiment of playing Raphinha as a number 10, which many thought did not work out as well as initially expected.

“The most important thing for me is that he scored those two goals, and also for his progress in his level as a player. He’s always a big part and a huge help to our team, and I think we saw that today.”

“They pressed with tremendous intensity in the defensive third, and it wasn’t easy to create spaces, but when we got the chance, we took advantage of it,” he added on how it was not easy for the Brazilian.

Flick then showered words of praise on both Raphinha and Pedri for helping the team through the trying circumstances.

“And this is also the quality of Pedri and Raphinha in this moment. This was very important for us, because, as I said before, the most important thing today is the three points.”

Barcelona are now temporarily seven points clear of Real Madrid and are certain to end the year as the league leaders. When asked if that meant anything to him, Flick said,

“As I said yesterday, I don’t think too much about the other teams. Right now, we just want to go to Villarreal and win. I know they have a great team, and they’re delivering a very good level right now.”

“But in the end, we’re also doing what we have to do. So we have to go there, trust in our abilities, and see what happens. The road is still long, and this is just a passing stage. I don’t care too much about it,” he added.

Despite all his modesty, the manager then admitted that it was indeed a boost for his side.

“It’s a good thing for us, because it puts pressure on the others since they have to win, but it’s not in our hands.”

“All that’s in our hands is the points we can win. If we can win, that’s in our hands. That’s what I want to say,” he added.

Frenkie de Jong started on the bench once again for Barcelona and it is now clear that Flick highly values Eric Garcia as the pivot. When asked if the Dutchman can feature in the cup game midweek as a starter, Flick said,

“We haven’t decided yet, we’ll determine that tomorrow or on Monday. We have enough time. The most important thing now is recovery, then we’ll see who will participate on Tuesday.”

Another important achievement for the team last night was the clean sheet they kept after a long time, and the manager stressed how important it was.

“It’s always good to finish the match with a clean sheet.”

“As I said earlier, we had about 80% possession of the ball. Sometimes even when you dominate the game, the opponent launches counterattacks, and it’s not always easy to defend, but we defended very well,” he added.

“Congratulations to the defenders, and to the entire team, because defensive work is very important for keeping a clean sheet,” he concluded on the topic.

The manager was then asked about the Spotify Camp Nou once again and how it felt to win every game so far at the venue.

“It’s a wonderful thing, truly wonderful, and we also won every match, and this is very important.”

“I think each one of us was extremely happy to return to this wonderful stadium. And the truth is that we won every match, so we can continue like this.”

“I’m very happy to be here and I think the fans are happy that we’re playing in our stadium,” he added.

The manager was finally asked about Eric Garcia and Gerard Martin, both of whom have tremendously improved in recent weeks and now command starting positions.

“It’s not just about these two, but about the entire backline. Eric also put in a fantastic performance, providing us with great stability in defense, and in my opinion, he delivered an outstanding match today. It’s great to have everyone at this level,” he began.

“I think Gerard has improved a lot, and I spoke earlier about Koundé, who is 18 years old and playing at this level, and that’s really fantastic,” he added on that topic.

“Congratulations to them all, and I praise the way the young players are progressing, as it’s truly amazing,” he concluded on La Masia.

On Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid

The final stretch of Flick’s presser saw the manager grilled on Xabi Alonso’s situation at Real Madrid and his uncertain future at the club.

“I don’t want to talk about the opponents. I think this isn’t a question for me, but for the club. It’s good that we won today, and with that, the gap is now seven points, or three additional points, and for me, that’s fantastic,” he began on that topic.

“If they want to put pressure on the others, they need to decide how they view the situation. As for me, the most important thing is winning the matches and continuing this positive momentum, and that’s truly wonderful,” he added modestly, not taking any sides.

He then once again praised his side for turning their situation around, perhaps hinting to the media that the manager is not always the one to blame.

“After a few weeks where we faced difficulties, we’re back now, and we’ve created real strength in the team. Plus, our style of play is good, and I think we’ve gotten almost all the players back, and they’re now at about 100%.”

“It’s fantastic to see that firsthand, and you can see the team’s quality. For me, that’s the most important thing. I don’t care about the other teams,” he added.

Source: Barça One