Hansi Flick talks Raphinha, Rashford, Balde, penalty incident after Levante 2-3 Barcelona | OneFootball

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick shared his thoughts after his side’s dramatic 3-2 win against Levante.

The German coach admitted the first half was not easy for his players, with Levante defending deep and threatening on the counter-attack.

This forced Flick to adjust at half-time, introducing changes that altered the rhythm of the game.

“I’m proud of my team. We tried to come back and got three points; we believed until the end.

“It’s not easy because our opponents usually play us very deep, and we have to improve in games with those approaches. This game will help us a lot to continue growing,” Flick said after the match.

Praise for Levante

Flick praised Levante. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Barcelona’s equaliser came through Pedri, which Flick highlighted as a turning point.

“Levante defended very well. They have very fast players. In the first half, we created chances to do more. In the second half, Pedri’s goal helped us a lot,” he explained.

With the result, Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the season, collecting six points from their first two games.

Flick was more satisfied with this performance compared to the previous outing against Mallorca, praising his squad for showing belief until the very end.

On penalty and tactical adjustments

Flick shared his thoughts on the penalty incident. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

One of the talking points from the game was the penalty awarded for Alejandro Balde’s handball. Flick was clear in his opinion.

“The penalty situation, when this happens, you’re angry. The referee awarded a penalty, and we have to accept it. But the important thing is that we’re returning to Barcelona with the three points.”

When asked to expand, Flick added, “You can’t say if it was clear, no. Today’s play wasn’t clear, but we have to accept it. For me, it wasn’t a clear handball by Balde. The play wasn’t clear.

“In the end, the referee analysed the situation and made his decision. We must respect that.”

Lastly, the coach also discussed his tactical moves, particularly shifting Raphinha’s role, stating, “Marcus had a few chances in the first half and showed he can help us.

In the second half, we needed to make changes, and we put Raphinha on the wing, and I think they were the right changes. The first goal changed the game.”

Source: MARCA