Flick demands immediate response from Lamine Yamal after Barcelona’s defeat
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has urged Lamine Yamal to put behind him his clash with Marc Cucurella in the recent defeat against Chelsea and focus on the upcoming home matches against Alavés and Atlético de Madrid.
Yamal, 18 years old, could not stand out in the Champions League match, which led Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez to declare that Cucurella had “nullified” his national team teammate.
Flick replaced Yamal in the 80th minute, and although the young player seemed annoyed, the coach downplayed his reaction and demanded a response from him in the coming weeks.
“Lamine’s mood is good. Many players, when we substitute them, are not happy. I was also a player and perhaps sometimes I didn’t show the right reaction, but that’s how it is. It’s emotion. For me, Cucurella is one of the best left-backs in the world. It’s not easy to play against him, he’s very intelligent in defense. The next step for Lamine is to show that this is not about this match, forget about it. Alavés is now what’s important and he has to show his best performance, his best level”.
Hansi Flick
Lamine Yamal tuvo una noche difícil contra su compañero de España, Marc Cucurella.Yamal, who has six goals and seven assists in 13 games this season, was not the only Barça player who struggled against Chelsea.
The way they defended in the defeat, which left Barça in 18th place in the Champions League standings, was also criticized, as Chelsea scored three goals and had another three disallowed.
Flick admitted that the result was difficult to accept for him and his players, but remains optimistic about the future and told the “experts” who continue to question his team’s tactics that “they have no idea”.
“Of course, we are all in a bad mood after the defeat against Chelsea. We were very disappointed because we thought we could win there, but it’s done. When we lose and when we concede three goals, it’s very easy to say it wasn’t a good game. But, for me, also to make it clear to all the experts outside, they have no idea how we want to play and what is needed to play, I won’t say with the high line, but how we want to press. It’s not just about the four defenders. It’s about the midfielders, the forwards, who initiate the press. This is what I need from every player on the field, to press. It always comes down to the defenders and it’s not fair. I said I think positive. We did many positive things, but we have to do better when we start the dynamic, when we start the press.”
Flick is confident of seeing a different Barça in the future. Pedri will return from an injury against Alavés and Raphinha is in line to start for the first time since September after coming off the bench in the last two games.
Fermín López has been ruled out for two weeks due to a calf injury, while Ronald Araújo will also miss the match against Alavés due to a stomach problem.
“I appreciate the things I see in training, we are focused, we have a lot of quality and players who are returning now. Pedri is back, so it’s another situation, it increases the quality, Raphinha, Marcus after having the flu… I really missed Raphinha. I see him as one of the most important players on the team, with the philosophy we have and how we want to play. He is very positive in our game when we defend, when we start the pressure, but also in the transition he is incredibly good. It’s not for nothing that he scored so many goals last season. He is hungry to show how good he is this season again after a fantastic year last season.”Pedri está de vuelta en los entrenamientos del Barcelona.Barça could, at least temporarily, place themselves at the top of LaLiga with a victory against Alavés before Real Madrid’s trip to Girona on Sunday.
The Flick team will then turn their attention to Tuesday’s big league match at home against Atletico Madrid, who have won six games in a row in all competitions after beating Inter Milan 2-1 midweek in Europe.
