Hansi Flick has faced the media ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, even while battling a cold. The German coach has expressed confidence in his squad and reflected on recent developments.
Raphinha has returned to training after a period of difficulty, and Flick has acknowledged that there may have been errors in his management.
“I’m not angry with the medical staff; they are highly regarded. His setbacks are in the past. We may have made some mistakes in his management, but we all make mistakes,” he said, praising the winger’s ability to create spaces and generate dynamism in attack.
“We already saw the other day what he generated in a few minutes. Dynamism, he created spaces… I’m very happy to have him.”
Lewandowski has returned in top form and continues to impress. The manager highlighted his striker’s consistency and hunger for goals: “Before his injury in October, everyone was surprised by how well he started.
“He returned in top form and is showing that in every match. He has that luck that is also necessary to score, and the hunger for goals. We need to have a player like him. He always gives what the team needs.”
Eric Garcia’s versatility also provides tactical flexibility. “He may play in midfield again. We have several options, and Eric could be one. We’ll see. He did very well against Athletic: he recovered many balls and created chances. I’m very happy with him,” Flick explained.
Marcus Rashford, who missed the last league match due to illness, is back in contention: “I’m very happy with him; the other day he was ill and couldn’t play. We will decide whether or not he starts. I have followed his whole career; he has incredible qualities and has already shown that here.”
Flick stressed that the focus is on the team rather than individual battles: “One can never choose when is a good time. I’m happy to play against them because we can show how good we are. It’s a good test.
“The team has been improving a lot in recent weeks, and several players are returning. That’s good news. We always train focused and at a very high level, but we have to show that in the match.”
Barcelona enter the game aiming to finish among the top eight in the Champions League, but Flick remains realistic: “Our goal is to qualify among the top eight, but we know it’s not easy.
“Last year showed us that even if you are not in the top eight, you can win the Champions League. The important thing is to give our best version and play at the highest level. Playing against Chelsea is fantastic. We have good memories here, and hopefully tomorrow will be another one.”
