Hansi Flick talks Fermin, Olmo, Joan Garcia, Espanyol and Spanish Super Cup after Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Espanyol last night was anything but easy, especially with the local rivals putting up a great and gritty performance that almost salvaged a draw.

What set the Blaugrana apart, however, was individual brilliance as Dani Olmo scored a banger to put the team ahead, opening the doors for an eventual second goal that buried the result.

The three points are massive for the Catalans, especially with Real Madrid playing a tricky game against Real Betis later today without Kylian Mbappe and thus with good odds of dropping points.

Hansi Flick’s pitchside interview

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick faced the media after the game on the pitch side and gave his immediate reaction to the proceedings on the night.

“Joan García is one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” he began, right off the bat.

“We have a fantastic goalkeeper. The matter is not limited to today alone. In my opinion, Joan García is one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” he added, showering heavy praise on the goalkeeper.

Joan Garcia was named the man-of-the-match. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

He then spoke on Garcia’s confidence and body language on the field and how every small factor matters.

“His body language, his confidence, you can see it in every minute, in every movement, you can see it. He provides us with so much support from the back.”

Diving into the game itself and how it unfolded, Flick did not hold back in praising the hosts.

“It wasn’t an easy match. I think the atmosphere was unbelievable, it was really good. It was the Catalan derby and Espanyol played absolutely wonderfully.”

“I can say that we didn’t deserve the 3 points, but in the end, the quality we delivered on the pitch in that second half was fantastic,” he added, criticising his team.

Yet, he concluded that he was happy with the result.

“I’m happy and delighted with the three points. There are things we need to change, but I’m happy.”

It was the substitutes who made all the difference for Barcelona last night with Fermin Lopez racking up two assists and Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski taking a goal apiece.

“What I truly appreciate is that the players who came on in the second half were immediately present and tried to give their best, and in the end, they decided the match in our favor,” he said about them.

Specifically on Olmo, he said,

“Dani Olmo? It’s great to see that. His technique is unbelievable. And now I think he’s going through a smooth and shining period, and it’s really good to see that.” 

“He came back after that injury, and before that, he scored a goal too, he came back straight away and scored the goal!”

Press conference

Flick made it clear that Barcelona did not deserve the win. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Flick then faced the media for a formal and thorough interaction and he began by praising Fermin who earned two assists on the night.

“I’m really happy for Fermin because he showed from the bench that he wants to play.”

Praising Espanyol and speaking on how Barcelona did not deserve three points, Flick said,

“I think we have to acknowledge that Espanyol put on a great match. The atmosphere here at the stadium was unbelievable. It was a derby and I enjoyed it immensely.” 

“It was also tied to the result, and I’ll say it frankly: we didn’t deserve it. But in the end, the quality we brought to the pitch after the changes is what decided the match, and I’m thrilled about that,” he added.

He then spoke on the intensity of Espanyol and how it complicated matters for his team in terms of controlling the game.

“I wouldn’t celebrate the first 80 minutes of our performance. Espanyol has high intensity and very good dynamics, especially in aerial duels.”

“They’re really good, and we struggled a lot because of that. But in the end, we scored two goals and got the three points,” he added.

The manager then once again spoke on the man-of-the-match, Joan Garcia, and how vital the player was for the team.

“Joan García? He was amazing, truly amazing. And I know he greatly appreciates what happened here, and he’ll never forget Espanyol!”

“I know him well, and he’ll never forget that. But this is football, and he’s playing with us now, and his performance throughout the season has been phenomenal,” he added.

“I think he delivered a fantastic match, and he also kept a clean sheet today, taking direct responsibility for it,” he concluded.

Flick also indirectly hailed Garcia as a far superior option to the other ones he has at his disposal as he explained why any top European team must have an ‘elite’ goalkeeper.

“It’s always very important to have a great goalkeeper. When you watch today’s match, you know why it’s important.” 

“And I also think that when you look at Real Madrid, for example, you see that they have a great goalkeeper too. Many very big teams have that. I’m happy to have him here,” he added.

Towards the end of his interview, the German tactician spoke on the importance of the hard-fought win for the dressing room.

“With this win, I think we’ve gained confidence. Perhaps we now have even more confidence, and we hope it will grow further, and we’ll see that later.”

“I always focus on the training sessions: what I see, the level of performance, the intensity of play that’s there, and that was very good,” he added.

Finally, the coach was asked about the upcoming Spanish Super Cup, about which he said,

“The Super Cup? That’s the goal. But first we have to play against Athletic Club, which is not an easy match either, and we’ll see.”

“We now have a rest day tomorrow, then we’ll travel to Saudi Arabia after training, and we’ll see what happens,” he added.

Source: Barça One