After leading Barcelona to a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Getafe and extending their league winning streak to eight matches, Flick attended a press conference where he emphasized that the team's goal is to win the championship, not to break records.
Another win, another clean sheet. Do you think the team has reached the level it was at before the international break?
The match against Getafe was not easy. In my opinion, Getafe is one of the best teams in LaLiga, possibly the best defensively. Creating chances against them was not easy. I'm very happy we scored in the first minute; that goal helped us a lot and boosted our confidence. It's not easy to regain form after the break. Many of our players went to their national teams for three weeks and played several matches, so we had to manage their playing time. I am very satisfied with the three points and the result, and happy with the team's performance.
Gordon finally scored. How important is this for his confidence? He has performed so well at Barcelona and improved significantly compared to his time at Newcastle. What's the secret?
I think even though he hadn't scored in previous matches, his performance was still very good. We are certainly happy for him. He also scored while playing for England during the international break and gained confidence, which he wants to bring to Barcelona. He helps us a lot with his speed, ball control, and ability to hold up the ball, always creating chances with his pace and dribbling.
You rotated many players today, but Lamine Yamal played the full 90 minutes. Can he play in the upcoming Champions League and league matches?
I'm not sure if he gave his all today. I even asked him if he wanted to be substituted, and he said no. That's just how Lamine is; he loves to play. Of course, sometimes we need to manage his workload, but I think he played quite comfortably in this match, especially in the first half. In the second half, he was more involved and created some chances in one-on-one situations. I am very happy with him because he has a good attitude. He receives treatment during breaks and does his recovery work, which is the most important thing for a professional player.
Kounde started today and scored a goal. He admitted in an interview during the international break that he wasn't at his best last season. What are your thoughts on this, and what are your expectations for him?
Very good. Jules Kounde's professionalism is impeccable; I see it every day. He always wants to compete, to improve, trains very hard, and is always focused on how to get better. My team has helped him a lot during this period.
We always have to consider the team's interests; the team comes first in everything. Everyone has to accept that they might come off the bench or stay on the bench. We have many high-level players, which is our advantage and a crucial condition for winning the championship. The team atmosphere is very good, and I feel it every day. I am grateful because this is not common, and I am very satisfied.
Eight consecutive wins at the start of the league season—a feat only Barcelona has achieved in history. What does this statistic mean to you? What is the key to the team's achievement, especially since it's not easy to get eight consecutive wins today when the level of competition among teams is increasing?
It's certainly difficult, but as I always say, we focus on the next match. The next game against Galatasaray won't be easy, and we want to win. We want to make history. Everyone has the same goal and attitude. It's really gratifying to see such quality in training, and the players enjoy it.
Are you more satisfied with Jesus's offensive or defensive contributions today? He won the ball back multiple times.
Everyone must participate in both offense and defense. When we attack from the back, the center-backs and full-backs must be involved. Similarly, when we start defending, the forwards must also participate. I think this is our strength: everyone gets involved, feels their responsibility to the team, and feels like they are part of the team, closely connected to each other, which is very good.
I said before the game that Gabriel Jesus is an excellent player. Of course, he is different from Raphinha. Look at how he scores goals; that's his advantage. He knows the right angle to shoot from, and he showed his ability today. I am happy for him.
Today marks Gerard Martin's 100th appearance for Barcelona, all under your management. What do you think has been his most significant improvement from his first game to today?
His confidence. You can see that he now completely understands our philosophy. The high-pressing style of play was not easy for him, but he always actively participated. I remember we had many clean sheets in the matches he played. Many players still have room for improvement, and he is no exception, but the data shows that his level is top-notch. He is an underrated player, and for me, he is a very important member of our team.
What was the consideration behind choosing Eric Garcia and Kounde as center-back and full-back today? With such a packed schedule and Christensen injured, how do you manage rotations in the center-back position?
I spoke with both Eric and Jules, and they both wanted to play full-back, but Eric is also willing to help the team, which is great. So we decided to play him at center-back because Cubarsi played many games for the national team. However, Cubarsi is very young, and normally, I think he could play every game, but it's important to give him a rest. We can also use this opportunity to show other players that we need everyone.
The upcoming schedule and opponents are tougher than before. What is the ceiling for this team?
Every game is different. We must maintain our motivation for every match, play with the right attitude, and focus on the demands of each game, which I think is the most important thing. As I said earlier, it wasn't easy to create chances today. After scoring the first goal, I hoped we would control the ball, move the opponent with passes, and control the game. We can do better in this aspect. Perhaps that's what we need to focus on improving next, because sometimes we always want to attack, and then we lose possession and have to run back or win the ball back again, which is quite exhausting. This is something we need to improve. But overall, we performed very well. Although as a coach, I always have something I'm not satisfied with and always see areas where we can improve, which is normal.
Barcelona has not lost a home league game since December 2024 against Atlético Madrid. How important is the home advantage at Camp Nou? Does the team internally want to break any records?
Our goal is not to break records; we just want to win. We focus on the next game, and as for what will happen in the end, we'll see then. This is how we operate. We just want to live each day well; that's the focus, nothing else. It has nothing to do with breaking records. If we can achieve other things while winning the championship, we will certainly welcome them, but that's not the most important thing.
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