Raphinha made his return to FC Barcelona’s beginning lineup in Saturday’s 3–1 win over Deportivo Alavés, however the victory got here with an sudden picture: head coach Hansi Flick wanting downcast as he stared out towards the pitch. After Barca reclaimed the highest spot in La Liga, the Brazilian winger broke his silence and addressed the second along with his supervisor.
For Matchday 14, Barcelona hosted Alavés on the Camp Nou, with the guests gorgeous the gang by scoring simply 43 seconds in. Due to targets from Lamine Yamal and a Dani Olmo brace, the Catalans battled again for a 3-1 comeback win, although the efficiency once more fell wanting expectations, with goalkeeper Joan García turning into the group’s savior a number of occasions.
The combined feelings had been evident in Flick’s response, because the coach remained seated on the bench after the ultimate whistle, wanting dismayed regardless of securing the three factors. Nonetheless within the dugout, he was approached by Raphinha, who exchanged a short however significant dialog with Flick earlier than heading down the tunnel.
Talking to reporters after the match, Raphinha was requested about his coach’s response, and he didn’t hesitate: “The coach felt that we may have accomplished rather more on the sphere, and we additionally know that we are able to do a lot better. His feeling is that the group isn’t enjoying at its finest model, and I agree. We’ve to enhance lots, besides, I believe a very powerful factor right now was to return away with the win.“
The winger then delivered a blunt message, addressing the group’s kind whereas waiting for the approaching weeks. “The issues we’re doing poorly—we have now time to repair them, and I’m positive we’ll get again to our greatest. We’ll win enjoying nicely, but when there’s a sport the place we play badly, I don’t care—what issues is successful,” he concluded.
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Later talking with DAZN, Flick revealed that Raphinha had supplied phrases of help, simply as he did after the Chelsea match midweek: “We’ll enhance.” Now, with Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha all again from damage, the group can lastly start working towards recapturing final season’s rhythm.
Flick and a unique Barcelona
Barcelona now sit atop La Liga with 34 factors after Actual Madrid slipped to second following their draw with Girona. Nonetheless, the performances have been removed from convincing, each for followers and for Flick, particularly when in comparison with final 12 months’s facet that powered its option to the Champions League semifinals.
Requested in regards to the distinction between this season’s squad and final season’s in his post-match press convention, Flick supplied a candid evaluation: “We don’t have the management and the depth we had final season in the mean time. We’ve to enhance, we are able to enhance a little bit bit—nicely, much more—however you even have to think about we’ve had extra accidents… final season everybody was accessible from the beginning.”
Not solely the attacking trio, but additionally stars like Pedri and Gavi suffered damage blows initially of the season, leaving Barcelona with out key items for a number of video games. Even after a fourth straight win in La Liga, Flick stays uneasy. “This season we even have 4 (wins) in a row. It’s good for the second, however we’re by no means pleased with this, and we have to enhance many issues and work on that,” he concluded.
