Barcelona took another decisive step towards the La Liga title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Celta Vigo at the Spotify Camp Nou, but it was far from a comfortable night for Hansi Flick and his players.
The German coach was visibly animated at full-time, celebrating passionately with his staff, fully aware of the importance of the three points at this stage of the season.
Advertisement
However, beneath that relief was a clear sense that the performance left room for improvement.
Reflecting on the match, Flick admitted that his side had to dig deep against a well-organised opponent.
“We’re happy. We really struggled today—Celta plays very well—but we managed to get the three points,” he began saying.
Flick’s analysis
Tactically, Flick acknowledged that the game did not unfold as expected, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.
Flick was not happy with the VAR decision. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
He pointed to disruption caused by early setbacks as a major factor.
“The first half was very difficult—different from what we expected.”
Expanding on that, he explained how injuries impacted the rhythm of the team and forced adjustments mid-game.
Advertisement
“We had two injuries in the first half, and that affected the team.
“We fought together, but we gave away easy balls; we have to do much better because we have the quality,” he said.
Barcelona also struggled to assert control, something Flick made clear needs immediate improvement as the title race intensifies.
“We have to control the game. They usually press us high up the field with intensity, but they can also sit deep defensively.
“It’s not easy to create chances. We gave away easy balls,” he insisted.
The disallowed goal
The match could have been more comfortable for Barcelona had Ferran Torres’ second-half strike not been ruled out for offside, a decision that clearly frustrated Flick.
Advertisement
He revealed that, based on what he saw, the goal should have stood and would have eased late pressure on his side.
“My feeling is that it’s a goal. I’d like an explanation as to why it’s offside,” he noted.
Adding to the controversial VAR decision, Flick made it clear that he remains unconvinced, even if he accepts the outcome.
“I don’t understand why VAR decided it wasn’t a goal. These things worry me. The referee and the fourth official would see it the same way I do.
“They’ve made a decision, but we have to accept it. I don’t want to make excuses. In the final minutes, we had to play with more intelligence.”
On injuries
Cancelo and Lamine were forced off. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Advertisement
There was also concern surrounding Lamine Yamal, who picked up an injury during the match. Flick chose to remain cautious rather than speculate on the severity.
“We’ll have to see him tomorrow to see what’s going on. We’ll have a clear diagnosis.
“It’s not easy; we have to take care of him. It’s a shame for us, just like with Joao Cancelo.
“Cancelo’s injury doesn’t seem to be serious, but we’ll have to wait and see,” he acknowledged.
When pressed further on Yamal’s condition, Flick reiterated the uncertainty while highlighting the broader challenges his squad is facing.
“I think I’ve already answered that. I think he has an injury, but we’ll have to wait and see how long he’ll be out. I can’t say anything else. We have to wait.
“As a coach, you have to manage these things. It’s a shame that Lamine got injured now, but I’m also thinking about Raphinha, Bernal, and Christensen.
“Now we have to focus on Getafe. I wouldn’t say I’m upset; I’m thinking about a lot of things. We fought hard,” he concluded.
Source: AS
Read the full article here
