Flick talks Pedri, Bernal, Kounde, Balde, Cubarsi after Barcelona 3-0 Atletico Madrid – ‘Disappointed, but also proud’ | OneFootball

It was a case of so close yet so far for FC Barcelona last night as they fell short against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal despite winning the second leg 3-0 at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Coming into the game with a four-goal deficit from the first leg, the Blaugrana put up a brilliant fight on the night and managed to push Atleti to the brink, but could not get the final goal that would have levelled things.

As such, despite winning 3-0 on the night, with goals from Marc Bernal (x2) and Raphinha, Barcelona lost the tie 4-3 on aggregate, thus getting eliminated from the Copa del Rey.

Hansi Flick ‘disappointed but proud’

Speaking to the media after the match, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick admitted that there was disappointment within the camp about the elimination, while at the same time, he claimed he was immensely proud of the team’s performance.

“We’re disappointed, but also proud of what we saw. It was an incredible match; we created so many chances. But ultimately, it didn’t happen…,” said the German.

On whether the victory on the night and the overall performance reinforce the faith in his style and tactical philosophy after doubts had emerged last month, he remarked:

“After the two defeats we suffered (against Atletico and Girona), we had a long talk with the team in the locker room. I think the team has bounced back.

“Everyone was fantastic, Bernal was impressive, and Cubarsí’s performance was that of one of the best centre-backs in the world. This is the attitude I want from the players. It was an amazing match.”

Disappointed but proud. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

When asked if this was the Catalans’ best performance of the season and whether it was the blueprint for them to follow to win La Liga and the Champions League, Flick responded:

“Step by step. There’s a long road ahead. In La Liga and the Champions League. We have to focus on what’s next, which is Bilbao and Newcastle, two very strong teams. I can say that I’m proud of my players.”

Barcelona lost two key players, Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde, to hamstring injuries last night. Providing an update on their situation, he said:

“They’re out, I don’t know exactly what’s wrong with them. The players gave it their all, it was incredible. They gave more than 100% and that’s fantastic. The fans left happy. Disappointed too, but they saw a great team, and that’s fantastic.”

Talking about the performance of midfield superstar Pedri and the decision to let him play the entire game, rather than substituting him to manage his workload, Flick explained:

“I’m glad it didn’t happen. We needed Pedri on the pitch and we took a risk with him. Nothing happened, he’s fine.”

On the special atmosphere at the Spotify Camp Nou on the night, he added: “The welcome to the stadium has been spectacular. The team was motivated. It’s the best thing we can do, to build good relationships with the people so that the players can win titles.”

Concluding, Flick touched upon the team’s defensive performance and the marked improvement from the first leg, saying:

“Of course. We have to show this level in every match because we’re capable of it. But it’s hard work. As I said before, now we have to recover, stay focused. Recover, eat well, concentrate on training…”

Source: AS