Barcelona boss Hansi Flick faced the media on Tuesday to preview his team’s next game against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
The Catalans are guaranteed a red-hot reception when they take to the pitch and Flick says his players must be ready from the first second.
“We have to be prepared for the atmosphere. It’s one of the best in the world. It’s incredible. The sound of the stadium is amazing. They’ve improved a lot against big teams, and we have to stick together,” he told reporters.
Flick will
be without captain Raphinha once more but hinted that Gabriel Jesus – who was on target against Getafe on his first Barca start – could keep his place in the XI.
“He’s ready. Whether he plays, which we don’t know yet, we’ll decide after training,” he explained. “We’re very happy with him. He’s a bit of a surprise, we have to admit. His behavior is fantastic and he’s a great player.”
And, perhaps inevitably, there were questions about Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr after a weekend where the Brazilian saw red for a hair pull and Jose Mourinho dodged the post-match presser.
However, Flick was simply not being drawn into a potential war of words.
“I hope you’ll learn someday that I never answer questions about other teams. We’re about to play against Galatasaray. Let’s respect Galatasaray,” he said.
And would he prefer Vinicius to be available for El Clasico? The response was simple but effective: “Ask me again in two weeks…”
