Hansi Flick is preparing to face the first final of his project at FC Barcelona. In the lead-up to the Clásico against Real Madrid for the title of the Supercopa de España, the German spoke to the media and shared his feelings ahead of the match, also commenting on other hot topics such as the future of Ronald Araújo and the debate over the blue-and-claret goalkeeping position.
"First of all, we have to play 90 minutes and play very well. It’s against one of the best teams in the world. But we are capable of doing this. We can play better than against Athletic. We made many mistakes and we need to reduce them. Madrid is one of the best in transition and we have to take care of that," the coach began, speaking about the tough clash they will face next Sunday.
"In the end, we have to do our job. Coaches have to prepare the team. Of course, for everyone, the Clásico is something big. Now in the Supercopa, it’s something fantastic. It can give us more confidence and it would be a great victory for the club," he continued.
The return of Dani Olmo and the 'Iñaki Peña case'
When asked who will be the starting goalkeeper in the final, Flick played coy but issued a clear warning to his players. "I never talk about the starting eleven for tomorrow. (Szczesny) had a good game and Iñaki had a great first half of the season. It is what it is. In Spain, there may be a different mentality, but I have to explain this. The noise outside is very loud. They are professionals," he stated.
"They have to arrive on time. This is the third time it has happened (Two Koundé and one Iñaki Peña) and I had no other option. You can arrive earlier, it’s not a problem."
Similarly, the blue-and-claret coach made it clear that Dani Olmo is ready to be part of the team now that his registration issue has been resolved. "Yes, of course. He can play. It’s not a problem. He is very happy to have the opportunity to play," he commented.
However, the Egarense could come off the bench, as Gavi's great performance against Athletic Club gives the Andalusian all the chances to be a starter in midfield. "Gavi had a great game against Athletic, he did very well. He had confidence and gave the team many things. For us, it’s very important. I think Gavi will play, but I haven’t finished thinking about it yet," Flick revealed.
The future of Ronald Araújo
Regarding the existing doubts surrounding Ronald Araújo and his possible move to Juventus, the German stated that "there are always rumors since I’ve been here. We have to be professionals. Ronald comes from a tough injury and we have to take care of him. He has returned and is very professional."
"It’s not my job to talk about that, but I want him on my team. He is one of the best defenders."
Finally, Flick stated emphatically that "if there is a lot of noise outside, we have to be stronger. For us, it’s a great season. We have matches where we haven’t achieved what we wanted, but it’s very good to learn from each match. You can see that the team played against Athletic for their two teammates and for the club. That’s what we want."