Barcelona youngster credits Hansi Flick for development – ‘He’s helped me in almost every aspect’ | OneFootball

As FC Barcelona get set to take on Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 first leg later tonight, Fermin Lopez is expected to be named in the starting lineup at St James’ Park.

The 22-year-old La Masia graduate has become an integral member of the team since his breakthrough in the 2023/24 season, and is ahead of Dani Olmo in the pecking order.

Fermin hails Hansi Flick and talks career trajectory

Speaking in an interview with UEFA (h/t Mundo Deportivo) ahead of the game, Fermin credited Barcelona manager Hansi Flick for his development in all aspects of the game.

“I’ve improved a lot since Hansi arrived. I think he’s helped me develop many aspects of my game. And I think I’m having a good season with him. He’s a very demanding coach, but also very approachable,” said Fermin.

“He’s helped me with decision-making and also with scoring goals, always staying focused during the game, and also in defence. I think he’s helped me in almost every aspect as a player.”

The midfielder admitted that earlier in his career, he thought he might end up far from Barcelona when he was loaned to Linares Deportivo.

“In football, you need a bit of luck, and maybe I had it, but I think I worked hard. You always have to think about going further, about improving,” said Fermin.

“I’ve won a lot with the national team and with Barça, and I’m very happy about that, but I always think about winning even more and being even better.”

“When I was at Linares or La Masia, I dreamed of experiencing what I’ve experienced now. I think it helps me every day, because I always want to give my best, learn and improve. I think I have a lot to learn and I hope to continue doing great things.”

Fermin has come a long way in the last three years. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

He described himself as “a calm, simple and family-oriented person off the pitch. I like to relax and do simple things.

“But on the field I transform. I become more competitive, more intense and maybe even a bit aggressive in my style of play. I change a lot from the personal side to the professional one.”

Reminiscing about his debut with Barcelona, Fermin elaborated: “After my time in Linares, when I came back here, the idea was to leave the club, as I had a couple of offers from the Second Division, and it seemed like the right thing to do.

“They convinced me to do pre-season with the first team and that was a dream come true. I worked with Xavi and my teammates during the first week and it went very well.

“At first, I was a little nervous for my debut against Villarreal, but once I stepped onto the pitch, I tried to relax and play my best.

“It was incredible to see myself sharing the field with players like Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Lewandowski, and Raphinha. Playing with such good players makes you even better.”

On the Champions League

Talking about the UEFA Champions League and the team’s objective to do well in the competition, Fermin remarked:

“We have to stay united, both on and off the pitch. At the end of the day, the Champions League is decided by small details, by seconds of play. We all trust ourselves and our abilities.”

Gunning for Champions League glory. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

He also recalled the painful defeat in last season’s Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan, saying:

“That day was very tough, but we learned a lot because we were so close to the Champions League final. We learned from that and we learned what we needed to improve on to be able to reach the final and win it this year.”

Fermin also reflected on his strong performances in this season’s Champions League campaign.

“For me, it’s a dream come true to have achieved these things with Barça: playing in the Champions League, being named Man of the Match, and scoring a hat-trick. I’m very happy with what I’m doing, and I hope I can continue like this,” he noted.

The Spaniard made it clear that he and the rest of the team understood the difficulty of the competition, as he said:

“The Champions League is a very difficult competition. Every team makes it tough, but I think I have confidence, and my teammates help me a lot on the pitch, as does our coach.

“All of that helps me perform, and I’m only thinking about helping the team, and I think that’s what’s happening.”