Hansi Flick made it clear he is not happy after seeing his team follow up a midweek loss to PSG in the Champions League with a 2-1 Clasico defeat to Madrid in La Liga.
The Barcelona boss shared his thoughts after the match and felt his team weren’t at their best.
“It’s two defeats and we’re not happy. We’re disappointed. The first half wasn’t good, we improved in the second after it was 1-1. We lacked freshness. It’s our first defeat in LaLiga. We’d won nine games in a row and this happens. Defeats
are part of this sport. We have to analyze and improve, and we will. It’s important to react,” he said.
“I’d say it’s clear we played against a high-quality opponent who did very well without the ball. We lacked freshness. These past few weeks, after the match against Betis… haven’t been easy. We need to rest and respond to the defeat. And we will. When you lose, it’s not all bad. But there’s still a long way to go, and these things happen. This should make us reflect and improve.”
Flick also looked ahead and says his team will rest and then go all out to win against Alaves, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid before the international break.
“I don’t think this defeat will create any doubts within the team. Everyone knows the situation. We didn’t play our best today, but in big games, details decide the outcome. That’s how the scales tip, and today luck wasn’t on our side,” he added.
“We have to improve. After these defeats, there are no excuses. But I know what we need to improve on. I’m not worried because this is part of the game and the sport. Two defeats are too many for me and all Barça fans. Especially in the Clásico. We don’t want to lose.
“You only see the matches, but being on a plane for three hours in Seville, returning to the hotel… then going to Paris… it’s a lot. But I don’t want to talk about this when we lose; it’s better when we win. And I won’t accept excuses. I’m telling the truth: today we weren’t fresh, and we need to change that.
“The players will have two days off after training tomorrow. Some will go to the London event. I want everyone to be fresh and make the right decisions regarding nutrition, sleep, and recovery. There are three matches before the break. I want to win every match and every title.”
