Flick: I'm corresponding with Deco; sometimes I'm more like my players' grandpa

In this round of the league, Barcelona will face Mallorca at home. Head coach Flick expressed his support for current sports director Deco at the pre-match press conference. Barcelona presidential candidate Font claimed that if he wins the election on March 15, he will not keep Deco.

What do you think about your second season working with Yamal? After experiencing setbacks at the start of the season, he has now regained his form. Do you think he has become more mature in terms of his skills and professionalism?

I am very satisfied with what I see; he has been making progress... I think for a player like him, the most important thing is that he can enjoy football and his work, which is exactly what he is doing now. We hope to help him take it to the next level, and he is very focused. His performance in every game is there for all to see, and he is scoring more goals now, which is good for both us and him. I think he still has great potential, and he will unleash it in the days to come.

How important is working with Deco to you? What do you think about Font's remarks about not retaining Deco?

Regarding your second question, I haven't thought about it yet, because I am very satisfied with working with Deco right now. I think we trust each other, which is a good thing.We are on the same page about the players we want and share the same philosophy. He lets us do our work, which is the key.We can calmly do what we need to do, which is something I haven't had before, and I am very grateful for that.

Are you satisfied with Fermin's contract extension? What do you think about Barcelona's youth academy philosophy?

I have said many times that the work done at La Masia is amazing, and our coaching staff also trusts the strength of La Masia players. From training, you can see that their level is very high and their foundation is very solid. Of course, they need to keep working hard, which is normal, but overall I am very satisfied with the resources I get from La Masia.

As for Fermin, I think the contract extension is the best solution for the club.He is a player trained at La Masia, he loves Barcelona, he is talented, and he is performing well now. I am truly happy for him and the club.His decision could not be better for the club's future.

How is Rafinha's recovery going?

We can only wait day by day. When he feels ready to train with the team and gets the approval from the medical staff, he will join the group training. I think staying calm and taking it step by step is the right approach.

What about Pedri? Will we see him return to the field soon?

I think so. Everything is going according to our previous plan.Although I can't say when he will return, I think his recovery is progressing smoothly.

At this stage, are you more satisfied that the team can create a lot of chances, or more worried about wasting a lot of chances?

Sometimes scoring goals makes the game easier, but overall I am satisfied with our style of play and tactics, which is the most important thing right now. Of course, we should be more focused when finishing chances. I think the team's morale is high. We are about to face Mallorca, who won 4-1 in their last game. Their forward Muriqi has performed excellently this season; he has scored 14 goals (should be 15) in La Liga this season, which is very impressive, so we need to be careful with him.

How did you manage to get Frenkie de Jong to reach his best form since joining Barcelona? What role did you play in that? Or what changes did you make?

I think the key lies with the player. Frenkie has ushered his strengths in the No.6 or No.8 position, and his excellent ball-handling ability is very important to us. Now his leadership on the field has also improved, which I am very satisfied with, because he has reached the age where he should take on leadership responsibilities. I communicate with him often, and I think he feels very good in Barcelona; he loves this club and this city. Like other players in the team, he is in a very good mood now and should keep it up. For Frenkie, it is very important to have this level of performance, which is what we expect from him, and he has fully met our expectations.

Araujo said you are like a father to them, and in fact, more than one Barcelona player has said this. What does this mean to you? Are the players too young sometimes, which gives you a headache?

I think sometimes I am like their grandfather (laughs).It has to do with age. What I value most is that the player can empower his full potential. We all encounter this situation at work: when you are in a good mood and the work atmosphere is good, you will be more relaxed and more motivated to do better, which should also be one of my philosophies.

I take care of them because I think they work excellently. After the game against Alaves, I said that we played three games in six days, and the players did a very good job, staying focused all the time and giving their all for this club and this team. I am very grateful. I think this is not only about performance on the field; it is also important for everyone to get the respect they deserve.We respect each other, which makes the relationship healthy. No one is superior to others; everyone talks on an equal footing, which is what I want. In addition, I think exemplifying one's best level also helps.

Do you know about the progress of Lewandowski's contract extension? Is there a possibility that he will stay with the team in another role?

Of course, we have talked about his situation. I think it's not the end of the season yet; he should enjoy this season well, and we don't know what will happen in the future. In my opinion, he is performing well now. I understand that he wants to play more games or play the full 90 minutes in important matches, but that's the situation. I think he has done very well and is in a good mood. I think and hope he enjoys the current situation, because I think he is also happy to play for Barcelona. That's all I can say; we'll see after the season ends. It's not appropriate to talk about this topic now. We all know the club's situation and possible events. I am relaxed; I think we have done a good job and are stable now, which is what we want to continue in the future.

You said that Lamine Yamal has made progress; in what specific aspects? As a father or grandfather figure, what advice have you given him?

Progress is necessary for him because the opponents are also progressing. In my opinion, the most important thing is that he trains like a champion, which is exactly what he is doing now, very well. He always listens to others' opinions; he is very smart on the field and has excellent conduct off the field. You have to give your all; when you put in 100% effort in training, you can发挥 100% of your level in the game. I think he understands this, which is what I hope for, because he has incredible talent, and we should help him in other aspects.

After Araujo scored in the last game, the scene of his teammates celebrating with him was very touching. What does this mean to him and you? What are your expectations for him in terms of competition? In which aspects does he need to improve? What traits does he have that other teammates don't? What tactical contributions can he bring to the team?

When you look at him,you can see that his physical condition is top-notch, different from our other players, which is his advantage. He is very fast, good at one-on-one defense, and has strong aerial ability. He is one of the captains and must also become one of our leaders.I hope he continues to progress little by little.I know that playing according to our philosophy is not easy for him; he is a different player with a different style of play and a different understanding of the last line of defense, but he has adapted well and made great progress. We must help him better adapt to our philosophy.

There is a player in Mallorca's squad, Biel Hilli, who has played for Barcelona before. He has performed well this season. Will he be a player that Barcelona needs to pay special attention to tomorrow? Is there a possibility that he will return to Barcelona?

I can only talk about what I see, which is that he has performed well at Mallorca, which is a good thing. He used to play at La Masia, and now he has gone to another club and accumulated La Liga experience, which is very good. I am happy for him.