Hansi Flick talks positive mentality,Szczęsny, Valencia clash after 4-5 Barcelona win over Benfica | OneFootball

FC Barcelona fans went through a roller coaster of a match last night as they saw their team go down to 3-1 in the first half in their UEFA Champions League game against Benfica. However, the Catalans came into the second half with renewed spirits and ended up pulling off an amazing comeback win with the final scoreline standing at 5-4.

Naturally, Hansi Flick was quite happy with this win, as it confirmed his team’s direct qualification to the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League with a game to spare in the League Phase.

As SPORT has reported, the German tactician appeared to be delighted in the post-match presser, and was clear that he does not remember any other similar comeback from his Barcelona team:

“It was a very crazy match. The most positive thing is the mentality we showed. This is football. I don’t remember a comeback like this; it’s incredible. They are very good and made us defend very deep. In the second half, we were much better, and the substitutions helped us a lot.”

Wojciech Szczęsny had a game to forget on the night, as he conceded 4 goals, but the Barcelona trainer still commended his contributions:

“What player doesn’t make mistakes? It’s normal. Szczęsny has made some mistakes, but all players made errors in the first half. We win together, we lose together. We are a team. I liked what I saw in the second half; he saved us in a clear chance for Benfica.”

Flick was clear that this win had meaning beyond just the three points for his team:

“Victories give us time to keep believing in this project and send the message to the young players that we can and want to improve. For the players, it’s very important to have won.”

“Of course, there are things we didn’t like—we made many mistakes in the first half—but we’re together. I’m very happy for the team, the players, the fans, and the club. It’s a sign that we’re back and that we’re here.”

But despite this morale-boosting win, the German manager wanted his team to keep focused on the challenges lying ahead:

“It is crucial that we focus on the match against Valencia, and we also want to win against Atalanta. We cannot afford to think that we are comfortable.”

With this incredible win, Barcelona have ensured their qualification to the next round of the competition, thus meeting one of their main objectives.