As tension mounts ahead of a crucial derby showdown, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick faced the press with the calm of a seasoned tactician, choosing his words carefully and keeping his cards close to his chest.
With reporters fishing for early clues, Flick made it crystal clear he wouldn’t be tipping his hand. “Today I’ve decided that I will not talk about the starting lineup,” he said firmly, dodging questions on whether Wojciech Szczęsny or Marc-André ter Stegen will don the gloves. If there’s a cat in the bag, Flick isn’t letting it out yet.
However, there was good news for the Barcelona faithful. Teenage sensation Pau Cubarsí, who had sparked injury concerns, has been given the green light. “Cubarsí is fine. He can play tomorrow,” Flick confirmed, putting any speculation to rest.
In the thick of derby week, with Espanyol lurking as a formidable opponent, Flick refused to be drawn into distractions. Asked if he’d be watching other matches, he shrugged it off. “I don’t know if I’ll watch today’s match… But I know that the important thing is to focus on our game tomorrow.”
The press also tried to dig into Flick’s future, but the German manager batted the question away like a seasoned pro. “My renewal? I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about that,” he said, before acknowledging that informal discussions had taken place. “The other day we had dinner, the president came and we talked… But nothing is done yet, and we can wait, no problem.”
The coming weeks could shape the season—and possibly Flick’s future—with three pivotal games on the horizon. But the coach isn’t looking past the immediate challenge. “After these last three games, we’ll talk about everything. We have to focus on tomorrow’s game, Sunday’s game, and the following Saturday’s game. We’re here to win.”
Flick knows that derby days are never walks in the park. He was full of praise for an Espanyol side that has come into its own in the latter half of the season. “It’s a derby… Espanyol has had a great second half of the season, with new players who became key for the team. It’s important to show that we want to win, but they know very well how to play.”
On his Madrid counterpart, Flick extended an olive branch of respect. “Ancelotti has done a fantastic job at Madrid. He is one of the most successful coaches in the world of football, and I wish him the best in his new job.”
Robert Lewandowski is set to lead the line, with Flick confirming the striker is fit and raring to go. As for Christensen, Flick’s admiration was evident. “Surprised by Christensen’s level? No, I’m not surprised because I see him in training. He’s a great player, and when he plays at this level, he gives us a lot of strength.”
Asked about celebrating before the job is done, Flick exercised caution: “It’s not a good idea to think about a celebration before playing a match. Respect means playing against Espanyol, trying to win, and then we’ll see.”
The coach also addressed recent criticism surrounding Ronald Araújo after the Milan clash. Rather than throw the defender under the bus, Flick chose to shield him. “We all made mistakes in Milan… That’s life. Everyone makes mistakes. That’s why I want to protect Araújo—he wasn’t the only one who made a mistake.”
Reflecting on Barcelona’s suffocating press in El Clásico, Flick noted, “When you see the stat that Real Madrid didn’t touch the ball in our half for 24 minutes, that speaks to our pressing.”
With the season entering its final act, Flick is urging tunnel vision from his squad. “These three matches are important… After that, we’ll talk about everything. Right now, I want full focus on these games.”
