In the upcoming league match, Barcelona will face Getafe away from home. Coach Flick confirmed in the pre-match press conference that forward Raphinha will be unavailable, and Jesus will get a starting opportunity.
What's wrong with Raphinha?
The examination revealed some issues. Although the injury is not serious, we must be cautious because he suffered three injuries last season, so we are being very careful. He won't be available tomorrow, nor will he be able to play against Galatasaray in Istanbul.
How is Jesus adapting? Is he ready to start? Will he start tomorrow?
That's our plan. He has made great progress and has adapted well to our style and tactics. The penalty area and its vicinity are his strong areas, and his training performance over the past three weeks has been excellent. I am very satisfied with what I've seen. He is certainly ready.
Will playing after a three-week break be a problem? The upcoming schedule is tough.
That's our job. It's normal to have a break during the season, but this one lasted longer. Although I'm not happy about it, I can't change it, as other teams are in the same situation. We must focus on the next match. As you said, we have five important matches in the next two weeks, and we must be prepared—and we will be.
Barcelona will consecutively face Getafe, Galatasaray, Betis, PSG, and Sevilla. Is there a priority among these five matches?
No, we always consider the next match to be the most important. Tomorrow our opponent is Getafe, and playing against them is never easy. They defend very well and had great success last season, qualifying for the Conference League. We know how they play, and it's always tough to face them, so our current focus is on Getafe.
De Jong has rejoined team training. Have you spoken with him? Can he play tomorrow or against Galatasaray?
It's still according to the original plan. Perhaps the match against Betis will be his first appearance in the squad. He is progressing well, is no longer in pain, and can perform all movements, but he still needs more time.
How is Joan Garcia? If he hasn't fully recovered, will Livakovic get a chance?
Livakovic has always been one of our options, as is Tek (Szczesny). Joan is doing well today, and I think he can start tomorrow.
Can De Jong play center-back?
Certainly, he can. We have several options, and De Jong can also play that position.
Raphinha got injured again with the national team. Do you think players at his age should prioritize their focus and not go all out in national team friendlies?
These are national team matches, and I think playing for one's country is every player's biggest goal. Giving 100% is Raphinha's mentality. What we need to consider is whether it's necessary to play matches in Australia. He had to travel about 30,000 kilometers to get there, which is incredible. But you know what? At least they can still choose to play friendlies; European teams don't have this opportunity. When Joachim Löw and I managed the German team, we always had the chance to play friendlies against teams like Argentina, Brazil, or Uruguay, but now with the Nations League, such opportunities are impossible.
In the Nations League, every team wants to win, which is normal. Players are under a lot of pressure, and coaches can't try out other players or rest those who have played too much. That's how it is, and we just have to accept it. Although it's not ideal, I can't change it, so I have to accept it and think about how we can better manage players' playing time. But I want to say that I am very grateful to the Spanish national team and De la Fuente for everything they have done for my players. He consciously manages players' playing time. We have a good relationship with the Spanish Football Federation, and I am also happy to see Spain perform well; they are the best team in the world.
After Christensen's injury, Barcelona only has Gerard Martín as a left-sided center-back. Can Bernal be another option for that position?
He sometimes plays that position in training, but we don't think he's suitable. For such a talented young player, it's best for him to continue improving and gaining confidence in his primary position. He has performed excellently in recent matches, and I'm very happy, so I don't consider him an option for left-sided center-back.
You always emphasize Raphinha's leading role in pressing. Are you concerned that without him, the team's pressing won't be as effective?
Today I saw many positive things in training. Our training quality was high, and our defensive pressing was also very good. This is our standard and mentality. I believe other players can also fulfill this role.
What do you think about Esparto's contract renewal and his competition with Cancelo at left-back?
I often say in press conferences that we have two or even three capable players in every position. This keeps everyone on their toes, pushing them to perform at their best, otherwise they can be replaced at any time—and everyone knows this. This is what I see in training; everyone knows they must give their all and be 100% focused, so I am very pleased with that. I think renewing the contract of such a La Masia player for four years is very beneficial for the club.
During this international break, Lamine Yamal performed excellently for the national team, scoring and assisting, full of confidence. Do you think this break had a positive impact on his form and morale?
I think his performance has been amazing, whether with the national team or in Barcelona's first eight matches of the season. I went to London to watch the Spain vs. England match, and it was fantastic.
Perhaps we need to look at players from different perspectives. For example, I see Rodri differently from Lamine and Cubarsí. The latter two are very young, only 18 or 19 years old, and recover quickly physically. Lamine enjoys football. If he only comes on in the 60th or 70th minute, he might be unhappy, but that's fine. If there isn't much training time, playing matches helps him maintain his form because he loves playing and competing. You can see he has a lot of confidence now, but his attitude is also impeccable. I see his performance in training is also top-notch, which is exactly what we demand from him. He will become the best player in the world, or close to it. 100% he will, as long as he maintains his current ambition and attitude.
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