Barcelona manager Hansi Flick responds to Raphinha fatigue and Dani Olmo case | OneFootball

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has brushed off the idea that star forward Raphinha has not been the same since he returned from the international break with Brazil. The Barcelona Vice-Captain has started just one of their four games since, and struggled to make in impact in both appearances he has made.

However for Flick, there was little concern over Raphinha. One of their hardest-working players and coming off a major mental blow in Brazil’s 4-1 defeat to Argentina, some had wondered if he might be dropping his exceptionally high standards this season.

“I haven’t had that impression at all. After the international break, we have given him a bit of time so that he can recover. But in training he has been fantastic. He’s been active in training. He’s been dynamic in training, he’s shown he is ready for a game like tomorrow.”

Flick was keen for his side to make the most of home advantage, knowing they must scale the ‘Yellow Wall’ in Dortmund next week.

“In the Champions League, playing at home is better because we perform better. We’d like to be able to wrap it up now. We saw that against Atletico. It’s a good moment for us. We’ve improved a lot in many situations and found the right responses. We’re very prepared for tomorrow’s game.”

There has been plenty of focus on the physical wear and tear of the season on Barcelona, with signs of fatigue appearing to set in against Atletico Madrid and Real Betis last week.

“It’s important to focus on the current situation, and we have to think about each match. We have to see how tired the players are, how much they can play, that’s important, or if we have to change positions. I’m happy because right now we have a lot of players who can cover multiple positions. We have this schedule, but it won’t make us suffer. Our goal is to win every single match. We can handle that. We’re very proud.”

Flick was asked about the impressive numbers his side has put up this season, with Barcelona now on a 20-game unbeaten run in 2025, of which 17 were victories.

“I’m not interested in statistics, nor in the past. What matters is tomorrow. We’re all delighted to be playing in the Champions League. It’s a challenge for us to play in Europe, and we want to be there.”

Image via Reuters

“We have a very important Champions League match against Dortmund. The club handles these issues, and I’m not focused on them,” he remarked on the registration drama surrounding Dani Olmo.

La Liga announced on Monday that they would be filing for an injunction against the CSD decision to keep Olmo and Pau Victor registered for the rest of the season. Meanwhile Barcelona have accused La Liga of breaching confidentiality with their statements on the club’s finances. For the time being, it looks as if Victor and Olmo will be available for Flick, once the latter comes back from injury.