Barcelona face Newcastle United away in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. In the pre-match press conference, Blaugrana head coach Hansi Flick discussed the team’s preparations and answered key questions from fans and media.
On Xavi’s comments
Xavi and I are colleagues and have a good relationship. I visited him, but the content of our meeting remains private. I know the truth, but I will not comment on it here.
On being wary of opponents like Newcastle
Newcastle are a good side; they press man-to-man and have great attacking speed. We must defend with pride and courage – both legs are hugely important. We saw that against Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey. We have to be careful, and we will be.
On his own future
We have to wait and see. From day one, I have had an excellent working relationship with Deco and Bojan. We analyse not only the first team but also players from La Masia. We talk about Casadó, Bernal, Gerard Martín – we share the same philosophy. This is a huge week in the season; we must focus on the matches. We will stick together to build a strong team for the future. We hope everything goes well and we will give our all. We have immense respect for Newcastle, and right now we need to focus fully on tomorrow’s game.
On the Premier League
The Premier League is the best league in the world; it is truly incredible. They have huge financial resources and can make all kinds of decisions. We are just as strong, but we must stick to our philosophy and show it to the world.
On learning from the Atlético Madrid match
We spoke openly and analysed that game honestly. Our defending was not at the expected level, and some players did not perform well enough. But at home, everyone is involved in defending, keeping the right distances and pressing at the right moments. Defending becomes extremely difficult without collective pressure.
On Marcus Rashford
Rashford has come back strongly after a few days’ rest. I haven’t made a final decision yet, but he is a great option.
On the team conceding too many goals
I have managed two fantastic clubs: Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and I enjoy every single day. We score a lot of goals as well, but defending is a collective responsibility for the whole team.
On the young players in the squad
Young players like Cubarsí, Yamal, Fermín and Bernal have stepped up – their level is incredible. They performed brilliantly against Athletic Bilbao. Look at Cubarsí’s defensive displays; he even takes throw-ins like corner kicks. He is at the same level as Yamal, but exceptional in defence. He is only 19 and already performing at the top level.
On focusing on this match
I am only focused on this game. We are in a nice hotel with a good atmosphere. We came directly from Bilbao, and you won’t be asking me these questions after the match.
On the timing of Xavi’s interview
That is a decision for him to make, not me.
On travelling directly from Bilbao to Newcastle
We had to travel to Vitoria Airport in the early hours because Bilbao Airport was closed. We arrived at 4 a.m., had a recovery session at midday on Sunday, then departed on Monday – I think it has been a good setup.
On Newcastle’s quality
This will not be an easy game. Every team in the Champions League wants to show their best level. Newcastle are dangerous on the counter-attack, and we will have to give everything.
