Flick talks Pedri, Olmo, Raphinha, De Jong, Gerard Martin after Barcelona 3-1 Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

FC Barcelona secured a major victory as they defeated Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday night at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Goals from Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and Ferran Torres helped the Blaugrana bag all three points after they had conceded from an Alex Baena strike early on.

The result meant that Barça now hold a four-point lead at the top of the table over Real Madrid, who face Athletic Club later tonight in La Liga.

Flick happy, issues update on Pedri, Olmo

Speaking to the media after the match, manager Hansi Flick expressed his happiness with the performance from Barcelona, saying:

“I think our performance has been on another level, we fought together, and it’s been fantastic.

“It’s very important to get players back. Some aren’t at 100% yet, and we’ve had to substitute them. With the ball, we’ve controlled it more and created more space. It’s been very positive.”

The Barcelona manager was also full of praise for Raphinha, who has made a big difference to the team since his return from injury.

“He’s a very important player for us. We saw him today, but we also saw him in the last match. I’m very happy with the result, with the three points,” he said.

Talking about the Brazilian international further, Flick added: “Rapha is a very important player for us. When he’s on the field, he increases the dynamism, the intensity… you can see it on the pitch. He has given us many positive aspects.”

Explaining the decision to substitute Pedri and talking about Dani Olmo’s shoulder injury, Flick remarked:

“Pedri is fine, a little tired. Dani Olmo has a shoulder problem, we’ll see tomorrow.”

Highlighting Pedri’s importance, he added: “He’s an exceptional player. I’m happy he didn’t need time to get back to his previous level. We saw it on Saturday and today. He’s managed the connection between defence and attack very well.”

There was praise for Joan Garcia as well, with Flick saying: “The club signed him because of his quality. It was the right move. I like seeing him at this level. He gives us stability.”

As for the performance of Gerard Martin in another game where he started at centre-back, Flick stated:

“I think everyone has seen that he’s very good at centre-back. He works very well to build up play, but he also defends well… Eric has also been fantastic.”

Flick delighted with Barcelona’s win. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Regarding the substitutions he made in the second half, Flick explained: “We made changes because Pedri had to come off, Dani had to be substituted, as did Raphinha… they were necessary.

“Those who came on connected well. We played with five at the back for the last few minutes. Everyone was very involved. Dro, Marcus, Ferran…”

On Frenkie de Jong’s absence due to fever and a possible return, he said: “I hope to have him available against Betis. But he couldn’t play today, so we sent him home. He didn’t sleep well.” 

On the victory

Talking about the victory and how important it was for the team, the Barça head coach explained:

“Yes, absolutely. It’s always great to gain confidence against a team as good as Atletico.”

Continuing, he added: “This was the step forward I was looking for. We played very well today, we improved a lot in every aspect. Atletico controlled the first three, four, or five minutes, but then we took control.

“We could have scored the penalty too. But we didn’t give up. I’m proud of what I saw.”

On whether this win can be a turning point for the team when it comes to big games, Flick noted: “We’ll see if this is a turning point. I think it was one of our best matches; I really liked what I saw in the 90 minutes. We deserve the three points.”

“We’ve taken a step forward, and now we have to play against Betis, who are a great team. We have to try to win,” he added.

Regarding the team’s performances in big games this season, Flick elaborated: “The defeats against PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea… are things of the past. Today we saw a great performance from the team.

“We’re focused on the next match, which is also important. I don’t care about the past or last season. We’ve had many consecutive victories and that gives me confidence.”

On whether he believed his team could win the La Liga title, Flick said: “It’s a long way off, there’s still a lot to do.

“We’re at the top of the table, and I’m happy with how things are going, but we can’t say it’s the highest level. We always want to improve and learn, and that’s our mentality and attitude.”

Source: MARCA