Hansi Flick talks Ferran, Hamza, Thiago, Fermin, Kounde, Pep Guardiola ahead of Valencia vs Barcelona | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are set to play their final game of the season against Valencia this Saturday, and this match is going to be quite an emotional one, especially for Robert Lewandowski, who will be playing his last game in a Blaugrana shirt.

Ahead of this game, Hansi Flick appeared in the last pre-match press conference of the 2025-26 season and talked about different aspects of his team and the club.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the German coach started the presser by praising the Barcelona Women’s team and wishing them the best for the UWCL final:

“That’s our plan. We wish the girls all the best; they’ve had a fantastic season, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for them. We want to do our job too — ending with a victory would be a great way to finish, and that’s what we want to do.”

The Blaugrana coach reiterated his desire to win the UCL next season:

“It’s been a fantastic period, a successful journey with five titles, but we’re hungry to keep winning more. That’s our mindset. You always have to improve the team, and we are focused on that. It’s important for the future of the team and the club, and that’s what we’ll do. The commitment to winning titles is 100%. We all dream of winning the Champions League, and we all work toward it. It’s not easy, but it’s a major objective for us.”

Flick did not give any clear answer about Ferran Torres’ renewal:

“We haven’t talked about the future. He still has one more year, and we’ll speak with Ferran when the time comes. What I expect from him is what he’s shown in recent weeks: he’s done very well and has had a very positive attitude, and that’s what I want to see. His performances have to be at the highest level, and that’s what he has shown us over the last two weeks.”

The German coach also revealed why Jules Kounde was absent from the latest training session:

“He will play in the World Cup, and right now he has some problems, so we are being careful with him. For everyone, playing in the World Cup is a major objective, and that’s why he hasn’t trained. We’re taking care of him and managing him properly; he’s receiving treatment and working on it. He’s progressing well.”

After having been called up for the World Cup, the Barcelona coach also hinted at a possible call-up of Hamza Abdelkarim to the first team:

“We have to wait. We are planning preseason, and I’m looking forward to seeing new faces. When I arrived in 2024, it was incredible to see the quality in La Masia, and the same is happening this season. When he returns, he could be an option.”

Flick also talked about Thiago Alcantara, who is set to leave his staff, to some length in this presser:

“I told the staff and the players what my relationship with Thiago is like. When I was an assistant coach at Bayern and then became head coach, one of the first things I had to do was put Thiago on the bench, and it wasn’t easy for either of us because he was a world-class player. I changed the philosophy of play a little, but his attitude, mentality, and behavior were incredible.

That’s what I appreciate about working with him. He has a top-level attitude, and he is incredible. He helped me enormously here in my work at Barça and, over the last two years, he has been amazing. We will miss him, but I understand that he has his own plans, and that’s good. I hope one day he can return, because football needs men like him.”

Flick refused to comment on the situation of Real Madrid:

“I’ve already said enough. I only focus on my team and my club. I have a lot of work here, and I don’t care about other clubs or teams. We have a lot of work to do, and we must prepare for next season. This season was very difficult, but next season will be even harder, and we need to prepare properly for that.”

The Barcelona coach was already looking forward to winning three consecutive league titles:

“I’m 100% motivated and ready for this. It’s a huge objective, and we’re going for it. Maybe other clubs also want to achieve these objectives and win the league, but it’s always difficult to win this competition. Even so, it’s one of our goals.”

Flick identified two key moments in his side’s La Liga triumph:

“To be honest, when we scored the second goal against Madrid, I was 100% convinced we would win the title. Also, when I saw the team against Getafe away from home, because of the match we played there. Getafe has always been a difficult place to win, and the team’s mentality in that game impressed me greatly. Maybe that was another moment when I thought we could win the title.”

The German tactician expressed his sorrow over Fermin Lopez’s injury:

“It’s tough for him. Everyone has seen that he had a fantastic season, improved a lot, and helped us tremendously in winning the league. It hurt him a lot, but it hurt us too.

It’s a huge dream for every young player to be part of a fantastic team like that, but in the end, that’s life. He’ll have to come back and show again how good he is. Now it’s time to think about the things he can improve; it’s a good moment for that, and we support him. I’m convinced he will come back stronger.”

The Barcelona coach also had some special words of praise for Pep Guardiola, who would be leaving Manchester City at the end of this season:

“Ten years… I don’t think you’ll see me here for that long. At 70 years old, I don’t think this is the place to be. What Guardiola has done — ten years at one club at that level — is incredible; what he has achieved is extraordinary.

I’ve always said he is the best coach in the world, and he has proven it over the last ten years, every single year. Even when things didn’t go well, he always knew how to handle and manage them. His role has been fantastic.

When we talk about philosophy, his teams always play at the highest level, and he always finds a solution to be better than the other teams. And if you look at the titles he has won, it’s exceptional. I hope he gets some rest and takes his time before returning. Hopefully, he comes back soon.”

Flick ended his press conference remembering what has been another good season for him and his team:

“Thank you very much. This season went by very quickly. It wasn’t easy — it was tough, and many things happened, things that were not how we wanted from the beginning, and to which we had to adapt. But in the end, I really appreciate what the team has done and how the club, with Deco and Bojan, supported us.

It’s incredible how I feel here, because everyone is focused on making the team successful. When this team succeeds, the club is happy, and everyone around it is happy, and that is the best thing for this incredible club.

Thank you as well for the respect. I gave you the respect you deserved, and that’s the most important thing in life. We are all human; we all make mistakes, but in the end, everything comes down to respect. Thank you very much for everything.”

Hopefully, Hansi Flick would get some much-needed rest after the game against Valencia, and come back next season with his batteries fully recharged to lead Barcelona to another successful season.