The first leg of the Spanish Cup semi-final was a tough one for Barcelona fans. The match against Atletico Madrid ended with a score of 0:4, and this result naturally raised many questions around the team. After the match, head coach Hans-Dieter Flick did not hide the situation, but spoke frankly - and at the same time did not extinguish hope.
Flick's first remark was very clear: in the first half, Barcelona did not look like themselves. According to him, the team could not act as a whole mechanism, the distance between the lines was "broken" and, most importantly, there was not enough pressing.
The coach called these 45 minutes a "valuable lesson". Because in big games, even small details on the field become a big deal. Atletico were "more open" in this respect: the desire to score, the fight for the episode, the determination for every goal.
At the same time, Flick also noted that his team's game recovered a little in the second half. That is, Barcelona tried to "find themselves" at the end of the game. But with a score of 0:4, these feelings do not comfort the fans - everyone understands this.
Most interestingly, Flick also voiced a realistic scenario in the return match: there are still "two halves" ahead. In his opinion, if a 2:0 victory is achieved in each half, the game can go in a completely different direction. Of course, such a comeback is not easy - here the home atmosphere and the stands should be a strong incentive. The coach emphasized this point: the team will really need the support of the fans.
Another important thing Flick said is that he is not dissatisfied with the team. On the contrary, he emphasized that he is satisfied with the season as a whole. He mentioned the high number of injuries, but did not use this as an “excuse”: defeat is a natural part of football, he said. Yes, it was painful, but he said he was proud of his team.
At the same time, he did not hide the fact that the team was young, but he went back: “I am not looking for excuses.” The coach’s position is simple: we need to draw conclusions, learn lessons and fight until the end for the remaining chances.
As a reminder, the return match will be held on March 3. For Barcelona, this match is not only a way to the final, but also a test of character. Because sometimes the biggest turning points in football come after the hardest blow.
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