Míchel analyses Flick's Barça and 'surrenders' to Lamine Yamal

This Sunday, September 14, FC Barcelona will visit Girona in Montivili with the aim of achieving their fifth consecutive victory in the 2024/25 LaLiga season. The team led by Hansi Flick is ready for the challenge, but they will have Míchel Sánchez's team in front of them, who are very strong playing at home and want to achieve their third consecutive victory against the Blaugrana club.

In the preview of the match, Míchel gave us one of the longest press conferences of the season. The Vallecano coach was ready for the task of beating Barça. In addition, he has almost his entire team available for the match: "Only Oriol Romeu will be out due to the fear clause, although Yangel Herrera is doubtful," he confirmed.

Míchel 'praises' Lamine Yamal

Right now, the coach is focused on winning at home on matchday four, so he has not thought about his debut in the Champions League against PSG. “We always take it one game at a time, the most important thing is the game against Barça. We have players with versatility and tomorrow is very important for us,” said Míchel, who considers this game to be key, because Flick's team are leaders. “For me, there is no such thing as Wednesday's game, I haven't seen anything from PSG,” he emphasized.

Regarding Flick's team, he considered that “they have a lot of verticality and do things very well, but not only in attack because they win the ball back quickly and have individual quality.” Based on this, he took the opportunity to “praise” one of his young stars: “Lamine is the most differential player in LaLiga in one-on-one situations because his decision-making is top for a 17-year-old player. He does everything very well and is above everyone in that sense."

Míchel also considered that Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski are in great form, so he feels that if Girona is able to keep the ball, it will be easier. But if they have to go and defend in the game, it will be difficult. "I have already told the players that our pressing is very good, but if we want to win we must have the ball," he said.

The precedent of beating the Blaugrana team

Despite the fact that the culé team did not manage to beat them in the two league games they played last season, he does not feel that Flick and his players have a negative feeling about the game. "I have seen Raphinha's statements and he has said that any player who comes to Barça is there to win all the games and fight for titles. Tomorrow they need to win because it is a club that always has the obligation to go out to win, it is what Barça has always done, so I do not think it will be different," he said.

The coach is well aware of the potential of the Flicks: “I told the players in the talk, with images of the tactical training sessions, that I always look at the opponent before the games and I am scared, with some fear or respect because I see the best of the team and they can hurt us,” said Míchel. “It is possible not to think about last year. I have not watched any of the games because now I am doing something else and Barça is different, they press a lot with the wingers and with Lewandowski somewhat behind,” he explained, so he asked his players to give their all in the match.

Although the challenge will be great, he hopes to take the three points and ruin Barça's good run: “It will be very difficult, but of course I think we can repeat with a victory. I think we will do things very well and Barça will suffer because we will look them in the face,” he concluded.