Flick: Raphinha and De Jong available tomorrow; I don't want to disrupt Yamal's current form

In this round of LaLiga, leaders Barcelona travel to face Real Betis. At the press conference, head coach Flick once again addressed the issue of Yamal's fitness management.

Will Raphinha get some playing time tomorrow?

I think when you ask about him, it means he's ready (laughs). I think we need to take it step by step. He participated in full training yesterday and performed well. We have many games in the coming weeks, so we must adapt to the congested schedule and manage the players' physical condition. But his return is good news, and De Jong is also available.

What role will De Jong play?

Everyone knows that Frenkie is a top player. I'm very happy he's back and available tomorrow, and we have another option. But we still need to assess him since he's just returned from injury. We need to monitor him further, but everything looks good, and he performed well in training. So I think he should be able to play a few minutes.

What are your plans for Yamal's fitness management?

This question is not easy to answer, because Lamine Yamal is a very special player, and I know we must manage his playing time. But for Lamine, the most important thing is that he enjoys football, and that's currently the case, so I don't want to disrupt that state. However, I am clear that we must rationally manage his playing time.

Next week, Barcelona will face two strong opponents in PSG and Real Madrid. Will this affect tomorrow's starting lineup?

No, the most important thing right now is tomorrow's match against Betis, which we must win. We know our opponent is Betis, and they are full of confidence because they have a perfect home record and have performed very well in the Champions League. So their situation in both the league and the Champions League is excellent. They are a good team, especially their forwards, who are excellent in one-on-one situations, extremely fast, and very effective in the attacking third. So we must defend very well tomorrow. I think Betis is one of the best teams in LaLiga; they have improved incredibly in recent years. I remember this is their return to the Champions League after 20 years, and Pellegrini has done an outstanding job.

Facing Betis, PSG, and Real Madrid in eight days—is this the first major test of the season?

We only focus on the next game. Right now, I'm not concerned about standings, opponents, or the impact of results. We only care about what we can do, and we should give our best performance in every match. These three games are certainly important and high-profile, and playing against them is significant. However, we also performed excellently against Galatasaray; it's not easy to play in such a hostile stadium, and their attack is also strong. But we defended well and played our style in attack, with our midfielders Pedri, Rodri, and Fermín doing an outstanding job. We should deliver this kind of performance in every match; that is our goal.

How do you evaluate Olmo's performance as a striker? Was he played there in the last game because Gabriel Jesus wasn't ready to play consistently? Is Olmo another option for Barcelona at striker?

We have to find solutions. In my opinion, Dani is an incredible player and a very good person. His technical ability and character are excellent, and I greatly admire his performance. He always gives his all on the pitch, has improved a lot over the past year and a half, and is physically very fit. We all know he is an outstanding player and contributes a lot to us. I'm glad we have him available as a No. 9 because he can play that position. Although the game against Galatasaray wasn't easy, he has proven many times in our matches and with the national team that he can handle the role.

How do you view Balde's situation and his future?

The current situation is not easy for him, I know that, but he trains seriously, which is the first thing he needs to do, and he does it very well. However, we have two top players in that position, Xavi and João Cancelo, both of whom are in excellent form right now, and I'm very happy about that. Of course, this situation is not ideal for Balde, but he does his job and shows professionalism, which is what I want and what a player must possess in such circumstances. You have to show everyone: when the team needs me, I'm ready. And he does that.

The possibility of De Jong playing as a central defender

We haven't really practiced that much, but he sometimes plays that position in training, mostly in five-a-side games. I see him being very focused in training, and I am 100% sure he wants to prove how good he is, which is a good thing. As I said before, Frenkie is a top player, and he gives us another option, which is great. I like that situation.

Of course, I have to manage every player's playing time, which is not easy, but I think this situation is better than only having one or two players available. Given the strength of our squad right now, the starting players must give their all and prove they are good enough—that's key. No one can slack off; everyone must be 100% committed, which is a good thing.

Abde left before you coached Barcelona. Is that the kind of player you would want?

I can only say he's an outstanding player. Although we have a strong squad, he still impressed me. I like his style of play, his confidence in one-on-one situations, and his goals are also spectacular. He's a very good player, that's all I can say, because I don't want to talk too much about players from other clubs, but his level is very high.

Gavi isn't starting as often as before. How is he adapting to his new role? How important is he to the team?

Of course, he was a bit disappointed after being left out of the national team squad, but he performed very well in training during the international break. He is very professional and wants to improve every day, which is good. In terms of effort and focus, Gavi is in very good shape right now. I often say Gavi is the heart of this team because he always gives his all for the club and the team, and we need players with that kind of character. In my opinion, Gavi at his best is a top player, and he's close to his best level now. He's also a very good option for us tomorrow.

Why did you choose Olmo over Fermín at striker in the last game? Can Fermín also play as a striker?

Fermín can also play as a No. 9, but we value his movement and ability to run in behind the defense more. His goal against Galatasaray is a good example of this; it's how he often plays. His characteristic is to receive the ball from outside the box, which is very important for us. But it's fantastic to have two players of such high quality available at striker. Dani might be struggling a bit with scoring goals right now, but he's very important to us because his link-up play and defensive contribution are very strong. Fermín is currently very confident with his finishing. It's a luxury to have to choose between these two players.

This upcoming week is very crucial, with three important matches back-to-back, followed by international duty. Mourinho complained about LaLiga's fixture schedule. Do you think his complaints are valid?

This happens every season. I know the situation might not be the same in some countries, but for us, that's just how it is. We've encountered this situation often in the past two seasons. I remember once we played a Copa del Rey match in Valencia and were supposed to fly back to Barcelona, but the flight was canceled, so we had to take a bus back, and we had another game two days later. I always tell the team: no excuses, no matter what, we have to keep going. Although we can't change the situation, our performance on the field is something we can control.

I have 100% confidence in my team. I know I always say this at press conferences, and it might sound repetitive, but everyone's training quality is incredibly high, everyone is focused, and shows their ability, which is what we want to see and how we want to play. Of course, we still have potential for improvement, and we will work hard to get better. In short, we can't change the situation; we can only accept it.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com