Hansi Flick talks referees, Raphinha, Gavi, Pedri and more ahead of Girona clash | OneFootball

Barcelona are gunning for three points as they take on local rivals Girona on Monday, in what will be a must-win game for the Catalans.

Coach Hansi Flick wasn’t too pleased with the way Barça performed in their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey.

He will be hoping for a strong reaction this time around. Speaking to the press ahead of the game, the German coach talked about the team’s form, among other things.

What Flick said ahead of Girona clash

Flick started by talking about Girona as an opponent and what Barcelona are expecting on Monday.

“We expect an organised opponent, well-positioned, who will try to play with courage. Certainly, it’s important for us to find greater sharpness and dynamism compared to the last match,” he said.

When asked about the atmosphere in the Barcelona dressing room after the defeat to Atletico Madrid, Flick said it was a lesson for the team.

“The most important thing now is that today’s training was good. The dynamism and sharpness in training were there, and so was the confidence. We also scored goals.

“We lost Thursday’s match, and that was a lesson for us, but we will move forward. We have to accept the defeat and focus on the Girona match,” he said.

Flick was disappointed with Barcelona’s performance vs Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The German tactician highlighted the importance of staging a strong comeback and returning to winning ways.

“It’s important to stay focused and play with confidence. We have high quality and can beat any team. But we have to be present on the pitch, unlike what happened in the first 45 minutes against Atleti,” he added.

The Barcelona coach even labelled the Champions League-level affair, stating that Atletico Madrid were prepared.

“For me, Atlético were ready for the battle. It was a Champions League-level match. In the first 45 minutes, we didn’t have the right competitive mindset, especially in the duels. They were more dynamic,” he said.

“I want to see this from my team, and today I liked what I saw in training, and we need to take it onto the pitch tomorrow. We have to move forward, because the season is still long and everything is possible if we play as a team and everyone is at 100%.

“We have great quality. Defeats happen from time to time, but the most important thing is how we respond to them,” he added.

Flick was also asked about Barcelona filing a complaint to the RFEF for the poor refereeing that has hurt both men’s and women’s teams.

“For me, what matters is seeing my team, because that’s my responsibility — to see what we can change in terms of mentality and style, and to play. I don’t concern myself with anything else. It’s true that sometimes things are not good,” he answered.

The Barcelona coach went on to admit that the referee’s fault is not the reason Barcelona lost the game to Atletico Madrid.

“After the Atlético match, I went to the referee and spoke to him to ask about the goal that was ruled offside. There was a good dialogue, but it will remain private.

“I always believe that communication between referees and coaches is good, and that’s a positive step. The referee’s mistake was not why we lost, but we have to change what we can change,” he added.

The German was clear about his stance on refereeing, pointing out that humans are bound to make mistakes.

“There are things I cannot change. We are all human and we can all make mistakes. The most important thing is to keep improving, and that’s what I want to see from my team, from my coaching staff, and also from other parties like the referees.

Flick believes referees can make mistakes. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

“We are talking about football, and everyone must remain neutral. Mistakes can happen, but the idea is to continue working towards improvement,” he added.

Moving on to team news, Flick confirmed Marcus Rashford has been ruled out of the Girona match.

“Marcus Rashford is ruled out for tomorrow’s match. His condition has improved a lot, but we must proceed step by step,” he said.

Flick also talked about the impact of Raphinha, who is widely expected to feature against Girona after training normally in recent sessions.

“We miss him when he’s not there, and we see in training how he elevates the team’s dynamism and the sharpness of the pace. And I’ve said it more than once: for me, he was the best player in the world last season,” he said.

Finally, Flick offered an update on the fitness of Pedri and Gavi, who are also reportedly closing in on their return to the pitch.

“I think Pedri will be ready, but with Gavi, we need to handle him with caution. What I saw in the training sessions impressed me. He might not be available in February, but I think he’ll be fit for March,” he concluded.

Source: Diario AS