Flick: I don't want to discuss fitness issues after a loss—it looks like making excuses

After losing 1-2 to Real Madrid in El Clásico, Barcelona coach Flick addressed the defeat at the press conference.

Two consecutive defeats in one week—does this reflect the team's true level, or is it just a blip?

We cannot deny that we lost two games, and we are not satisfied; we are very disappointed. Today, we did not play well in the first half. After equalizing in the second half, we played much better and controlled the game, but we lacked some luck. However, the fact is that Real Madrid played very well and gave us little defensive space. I think you could also see today that we were not in peak physical condition. But this is our first defeat in LaLiga, and we had nine consecutive wins before this, which is an achievement that cannot be overlooked. Defeats are part of sports competition. Next, we must analyze and improve. It's time to respond, and this is crucial.

How significant is this defeat? What concerns you most?

Obviously, we were playing against a strong opponent, and their defense might have been sharper than in previous El Clásico matches. But as I said earlier, today it was clear that we lacked physical fitness. After these weeks of competition, especially the difficult travel schedule following the match against Real Betis in Sevilla, my players have had a really tough time. Now we must refocus, prioritize recovery, and train well during the break to bounce back from this defeat. Defeat is part of the game, and losing isn't entirely negative. There's still a long season ahead, and setbacks happen. We must reflect carefully.

After maintaining an unbeaten record since the start of the season and then suffering two consecutive defeats this week, will the team begin to doubt itself?

No, of course not. I think everyone understands that we didn't play very well today, but in difficult matches, small details can sometimes become deciding factors. Today, we simply lacked luck.

Barcelona's defense has been shaky in both these matches—a recurring issue from the previous two seasons against Internazionale and Atlético Madrid. Why hasn't it been resolved?

After losing this match, we certainly need to improve; there's no argument there. I know what we need to do better, and we discuss it after every training session and match. I'm not worried; defeats are part of the game. We lost two games this week, which is too much for me and for Barcelona fans, especially losing El Clásico to Real Madrid. We don't want to lose, but it's part of the game.

What caused the team's poor physical condition? Was it the demanding travel schedule in recent weeks?

I know you only watched the match, and sometimes there are only two days between games. In Sevilla (against Real Betis), we spent three hours at the airport, then decided to stay at a hotel overnight before flying directly to Paris on Monday. I don't want to discuss these things when we lose; I only want to talk about them when we win, as that's more appropriate. Otherwise, it sounds like making excuses. No, I don't accept excuses. Today, we were indeed not in peak physical condition, and this is something we need to address. International players will have two days off, some will attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, while others will train tomorrow and have Tuesday off. After that, we'll have three days to prepare for the next match. We still have three games before the international break, and I want to win every one, so we must regain our form and fitness. Everyone needs to eat well and sleep well; that's their responsibility.

Last season you lost El Clásico at the Bernabéu when the team's LaLiga situation was far worse, yet you ultimately won the title. The psychological impact of El Clásico seems less severe. How will the team handle these two defeats, especially today's? What will this match mean for upcoming games? Also, the defense continues to be hampered by injuries—Xavi Hernández was also injured today.

I think injuries might be our biggest challenge right now. Some injuries aren't simple muscle strains; for example, Eric García and Koundé were both injured in collisions, as was Olmo. They all had to make one-on-one challenges. We truly don't have many options in defense, so we must find a way to cope. Barcelona Atlètic and La Masia have many talented players; perhaps we need to promote some from these teams. We understand the situation, but Christensen could return next week, and hopefully Eric García and Koundé will be available too. We'll see—maybe someone will be ready for the Atlético Madrid match.

De Jong played as an attacking midfielder in the second half. What are your thoughts on that?

We considered several options for that position, including playing Raphinha as a number 10 and Gabriel as a striker, but Raphinha had to come off, so we made the substitution. Dani got injured, and Gavi could certainly play as a number 10, but we chose De Jong because he trained well, was in good rhythm, and his ball control could give us an advantage. De Jong is back, and getting some playing time today was very important for him.