‘Today we saw a different mentality’ — Hansi Flick reacts to dominant Barcelona win over Athletic Club | OneFootball

FC Barcelona booked their place in the Spanish Super Cup final in emphatic fashion after demolishing Athletic Club 5-0 in the semi-final clash last night.

Following the dominant display, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick spoke to the media and, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, expressed great satisfaction with his team’s performance, mentality, and collective cohesion on the pitch.

The German tactician was particularly pleased with the attitude shown by his players, stressing that the result went beyond just the scoreline:

“For me, once a match ends, I’m already thinking about the next one, but I really appreciate what I saw today. We kept another clean sheet, which is very good because it gives us confidence defensively. Today we saw a different mentality and attitude, and I really liked seeing how we played as a team, both in attack and in defense. It was very good to see that.”

Flick also underlined the importance of teamwork and defensive organisation, identifying it as the key factor behind the convincing victory:

“I love that we play as a team, together, for each other, and how we defended — very well — that was the key. We were very well connected, in the right positions, and creating chances. That’s what I like to see, and on top of that, the goals were incredible. But it’s only one match.”

One of the main talking points ahead of the game was the absence of Lamine Yamal from the starting lineup, but Flick was quick to reassure supporters that there were no injury concerns surrounding the young star:

“He hasn’t been feeling well over the last two days. Yesterday, he had some treatment and was feeling better, but he wasn’t able to train in the last two sessions, and that’s why he was on the bench. It’s not because of an injury — it’s a stomach issue, he wasn’t feeling well.”

Another standout performer on the night was Raphinha, who delivered an excellent display and found the back of the net twice. Flick reserved special praise for the Brazilian winger’s mentality and work rate:

“I’m very happy for him. He always shows 100% mentality on the pitch, and I’m very happy to have him back.”

Reflecting on the match itself, the Barcelona coach was satisfied with how closely his players followed the tactical plan:

“We needed a few minutes to get into the match. We wanted to play like this; that was the game plan. We were in the right positions, very similar to the game plans we always have: to control the match. And after the two or three goals, we knew how to keep the ball, and we stayed very focused for the full 90 minutes until the end, defending well.”

With Barcelona now through to the final, Flick remained relaxed about the prospect of facing either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, showing no preference between the two rivals.

“That’s the good thing about being in the final — you can watch the game calmly and see what happens.”

Flick also addressed questions regarding Robert Lewandowski’s future at the club, making it clear that there is no rush to make any decisions.

“I’m very honest with him. I’m very happy with him — he’s at a good level, trains well, and scores goals. In that position, we have two players who can play, and I’m very happy with their quality. I’m not saying he’s going to leave — why would I? We have time, and we’ll see what happens; we’ll decide at the end of the season.”

Barcelona will now look to carry this momentum into Sunday’s final as they aim to lift their first piece of silverware of the season.