The Barcelona coach, Hansi Flick, insisted that none of his gestures during the dramatic 2-1 victory against Girona in LaLiga on Saturday were directed at the referee, after being sent off in a heated finish. Flick received a yellow card in stoppage time, apparently for applauding referee Jesús Gil Manzano, and then immediately received a second caution for his reaction to the warning. The Barça match was interrupted in protest of the match in Miami. “Frenkie [de Jong] was there and I said [while applauding] ‘OK, come on Frenkie’,” Flick explained in the post-match press conference.
As a result of his expulsion, Flick will likely have to serve a suspension and will not be able to be in the band for next week’s Clásico against Real Madrid. He could face an even bigger sanction if his celebration after Ronald Araujo’s winning goal in the 93rd minute, which occurred after he was sent off, is considered punishable. Flick ran towards the field after the goal, making a provocative gesture with his arms, although he says it wasn’t directed at anyone.“It wasn’t a reaction for the referee”.
Hansi Flick
“For me, it’s football. It’s emotion. I also don’t say anything about the referee. It’s his decision. I accept it. It’s not against him, the applause with the hands”.
Hansi FlickFlick said he tried to speak with Gil Manzano, but the referee did not want to talk. “I tried to tell him something, but he didn’t speak to me,” he added. “That’s how it is. It’s okay. He goes his way. I accept it. He is the referee.” The Barça had lost their last two matches, against Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla, before Saturday’s Catalan derby, but started well against Girona, taking the lead thanks to Pedri in the 13th minute. Girona equalized shortly after thanks to an overhead kick by Axel Witsel and could have scored more before halftime, while Barça also came close when a free kick by Marcus Rashford hit the crossbar. Barcelona improved in the second half, but had to wait until the 93rd minute to secure the three points when central defender Araujo, deployed from the bench as an emergency striker, headed in a cross from De Jong. “Before making this change, I spoke with Ronald,” Flick said. “I told him ‘Do you think you can play this?’ And he said ‘Yes’.” “I am very happy for him. He always plays with all his heart for this club, for this team. It was incredible”. Hansi Flick “Ronald is very good in training in front of the goal. It was the feeling that maybe he can change this game”. – Hansi Flick Araújo, for his part, said that his teammates laughed when he told them he would score while preparing to enter. “Everyone knows I played as a forward [when I was younger],” he told reporters. “I think if I played as a forward I could score many more goals [laughs].”“When the coach asked me about coming in, I had absolutely no doubt. When I was putting on the shirt, I said ‘If I come in, I’ll score a goal'”.
Ronald Araujo“Everyone laughed and then I scored. I work hard to be able to play, so I am very happy”. Ronald Araújo The Barça returns to Champions League action on Tuesday, when it receives Olympiacos, before traveling to Madrid next Sunday in LaLiga. Flick’s team climbed to the top of LaLiga with the victory over Girona, but Madrid will surpass them again with a win against Getafe on Sunday.
