Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick spoke at a press conference ahead of the clash with PSG. The German coach analysed what awaits his team against the current Champions League holders.
With the La Liga lead in their grasp, Barcelona face their second Champions League 2025-26 fixture on Wednesday, October 1st. Following their 2-1 victory against Newcastle on matchday one, the ‘Azulgranas’ face a stern test against Paris Saint-Germain.
In the build-up to the match, as is customary, coach Hansi Flick addressed the media to analyse what awaits his charges against the reigning champions, who arrive depleted by injuries. Despite this, the German coach highlighted the danger posed by Luis Enrique’s side.
“We arrive in good form, but this is a different competition. We are playing against the best team from last season. Fantastic players, a great coach… It’s a big challenge for us and we’re looking forward to it,” began Flick, who seized on the absences to mention the excessive fixture load on elite clubs.
“With this calendar, injury management is part of our job. This is the situation for the players, fans and everyone. There will be players who can’t be involved, but both teams have a lot of quality and tomorrow we’ll have a great match,” he added.
Looking ahead to the match, the ‘Cules’ boss pointed out that confidence in their style will play a decisive role. “We have to do very well. We must play at the highest level with conviction and confidence. This is the Champions League, the highest level, and that’s what I expect from my players,” he stated.
Centre-backs and Lamine Yamal
Several of the questions put to Flick alluded to the centre-back pairing, as the German does not seem to have a settled pair of players. A fact that the coach himself highlighted, since the high level of his players allows him to rotate frequently in that crucial area.
“All opponents have different strengths and that’s why I change the centre-backs a lot depending on each match. It’s not that I haven’t found the right formula, I simply have great confidence in all of them and I try to manage them well,” said Flick, who later defended Ronald Araujo after being questioned about what happened in the last match against PSG in 2024.
“What happened in previous encounters doesn’t matter. That was… one or two years ago? For me it’s something different. I have maximum confidence in Araujo,” he stated bluntly about the Uruguayan player who, with that quarter-final tie seemingly in the bag, saw a red card that cost Barca the passage through.
Delving into the analysis of his team, Lamine Yamal was one of the main protagonists. Following his return, Flick spoke about the high level of the ’10’, whom he asked to continue working to reach the next level. “I think he is an exceptional player, but we have great players in the team. He is 18 years old and must focus on striving more and more. He has the necessary talent to continue climbing steps and move to the next level, but he must continue to strive. With the ball he is a tremendous player and makes a difference,” he asserted.
The figure of Pedri, Szczesny’s starting place and Rashford’s adaptation
Another of the players who drew praise from Flick was Pedri, who has absolutely enchanted the Barcelona coach, both for his play and for the Canary Islander’s personality. “He has improved a lot. We all see how he plays with the ball. He’s fantastic. It’s also important for a team to have leaders on the pitch and he can be one. For me he is one of the captains. He expresses his thoughts, his opinions… It’s very important for me,” he said.
Similarly, looking ahead to the clash, the spotlight is also on the ‘Cules’ goal, where Wojciech Szczesny will be. The Pole may generate some doubts after the great level shown by Joan Garcia, but Flick’s confidence in ‘Tek’ is absolute.
“He is another player in the squad and is prepared for these matches. Last season we won three titles with him in goal,” recalled the Heidelberg native.
Finally, the Barcelona coach was pleasantly surprised with the adaptation to the club of Marcus Rashford, who is performing at a great level in attack. “We have all seen what he has done. The match against Newcastle gave him a lot of confidence. It is not always easy to come from another league and adapt so well,” he concluded.