HOME AT LAST: HANSI FLICK ON CAMP NOU 'INCREDIBLE' FEELING
Barcelona returns to the Spotify Camp Nou as Hansi Flick previews the Athletic Club clash. He provides updates on Rashford's fever, Raphinha's return, and Pedri's progress ahead of the historic fixture.
In front of reporters, Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick calmly previewed the big La Liga game against Athletic Club at the newly reopened Spotify Camp Nou.
Flick answered some pending questions while recognising that fans were more excited since the stadium is now ready for games again.
He began by talking about the team's return to their well-known home stadium and how much they had missed playing there.
"We are all very happy to be back at our stadium. The other team is very skilled.
They are a very skilled team that plays in the Champions League. It's a great chance for us to see where we stand."
Flick then talked about why Camp Nou is so helpful, especially because of the feeling created during the club's recent open practice.
We would definitely rather play at Spotify Camp Nou. It was an amazing feeling when we saw it during open practice.
I think it can give us great support during the game because the fans are close and they know the team needs help.
"It's really great to see that connection between the team and the fans, and they always help us."
Regarding Lamine Yamal
Because the young player is working hard and feeling more pressure, the Barça coach was also asked about Lamine Yamal's health.
Flick said, "He has been working very hard for the last few weeks, and I am very impressed with what I have seen." I don't have anything else to say.
"There will be good times and bad times, but he has been dealing with things well."
When asked about how the RFEF responded to the "Lamine case," he continued his thoughts. Flick clearly stated,
"Lamine is our player. Our players are important to us. The national team also takes care of them, and I think that was the right choice.
He is very disciplined, works very hard, and learning how to handle everything is a key step for him. He has done a great job."
When asked about the bigger conflict between Barcelona and the RFEF, Flick chose to avoid problems and instead focused on the tough schedule ahead.
"Things are what they are. Right now, we are focused on the next four weeks. There are nine games where a lot of points are at stake.
It's what we have to do, and it's our job. We don't need to worry about the distractions."
Updates on Raphinha, Rashford, Pedri and Joan Garcia
After updates on Raphinha and Marcus Rashford, the focus changed to the team's physical condition. Flick described the problems the English forward had, saying,
Marcus could not practice yesterday or today because he has a fever. I don't think he will play tomorrow.
The good news is that Raphinha is back, and I really appreciate what he brings to the team.
We'll find out tomorrow, but it's very important that he comes back. But, he will start the game from the sidelines.
Even though Flick asked for caution, there was also optimism that Pedri would get better.
"We're taking it slow, and we won't push him too hard. That would be wrong. Still, he is improving and getting better fast.
"We're happy with how things are right now. He will be back before long. I don't know if he will be back for the Chelsea match.
Flick gave a simple yes when asked if Joan Garcia would be in the starting lineup for tomorrow’s match.
"What do you think? Yes? "Okay, you are right," he said.
Flick also heard that if Barcelona won against Athletic Club, they might briefly be in first place in La Liga. He answered by talking about staying focused and steady.
"We want to focus on each match as it comes. Like we did last year, we should always know what we want and how we want to play, because we know there is a long way to go.
“We know Madrid is a tough team, but there are others like Villarreal and Atletico; they're great teams, and that's the thing. In each match, we need to think about ourselves first and try our best.
Another topic was Frenkie de Jong being unable to play; Flick did not give away any game plan details, but he shared,
"We know how to make up for him being gone, and we've been working on how we want to play tomorrow. But you'll see tomorrow, because I don't want to talk about it today.
It’s the same for Frenkie as it is for Pedri. We believe in them, and they are great players. But sometimes we can’t count on them, and we have to deal with it.
When Flick was finally asked about who would kick off the game to start it, he smiled and said, "I don't know." Gavi might be able to do it.
BARTOMEU UNCOVERS SECRET 2017 MBAPPé BID DURING REVEALING CADENA SER INTERVIEW
Josep Maria Bartomeu reveals Barcelona targeted Kylian Mbappé in 2017, but coaches preferred a move for Ousmane Dembélé instead
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has just dropped a bit of a bombshell: right after Neymar left for PSG, Barcelona actually went after Kylian Mbappe. That chaotic summer in 2017, when Neymar's record-breaking move sent shockwaves through the club, left them scrambling for a new superstar.
Bartomeu admitted in an interview with SER that Neymar’s shock exit caught everyone off guard. “Neymar’s departure came as a shock to the club; we didn’t want him to leave,” he said. Suddenly, Barcelona was scouring the market for big names, and with Mbappe starring at Monaco, he became their top target.
But here’s the twist: even though the club reached out for both Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, the coaching staff made the final call. Bartomeu explained, “We made an offer for Mbappe and another for Dembele. The coaching staff preferred Dembele.” So, instead of pushing for Mbappe, Barcelona pressed ahead with Dembele, ultimately striking a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth €105 million plus add-ons.
Of course, there was the small matter of money, too. Bartomeu clarified that the price Monaco set for Mbappe was simply out of reach: €180 million, take it or leave it, and it was PSG who could step up. “It wasn’t an offer in the strict sense. They would say to you, "He's worth €180 million." If you want Mbappe, it’s €180 million, and Paris paid it.” Between the steep price and the coaching staff’s strong preference for Dembele, Barcelona backed off.
Bartomeu also opened up about how he handled transfers during his tenure. One thing stood out: after he pushed for the Luis Suarez signing from Liverpool despite all the controversy and got hammered with criticism, he decided to step back and trust the technical staff from then on. Suarez went on to win the Champions League and four La Liga titles with Barcelona, but that experience taught Bartomeu a lesson. “The only decision I made as president or as an administrator, and which I defended vigorously, was the signing of Suarez,” he said. “I was heavily criticised by all the media, so I learned the lesson that the president or administrators cannot interfere in sporting matters. We must trust the technical staff, the sporting directors, and the coaches; it is they who decide on signings.”
BARCELONA SECURE 14-POINT LEAD OVER MADRID; ESPANYOL RESULT NOW DETERMINES TITLE
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late to move Barcelona 14 points clear, leaving them one Madrid loss from the title.
Barcelona now sit 14 points ahead of Real Madrid, and if Madrid slips up against Espanyol on Sunday, the title’s theirs.
Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock after 81 minutes, nodding in a header, and Torres added another four minutes from the end. Osasuna didn't quit, though Raul Garcia pulled one back late, but Barcelona held on for all three points. They’re inching closer to a second league title in a row, the club’s 29th overall.
If Madrid beats Espanyol, Barcelona’s next chance to seal it comes in the Clásico on May 10 against their biggest rivals.
Flick’s trying to keep his team’s focus on the next match rather than the Clasico, but Barcelona played the first half like a squad with little to lose. Missing the injured Lamine Yamal, they lost a chunk of their energy on the attack. Sure, they dominated possession, but breaking down Osasuna for real chances? That was tough.
Roony Bardghji, filling in for Yamal on the right, managed a decent long shot, but Osasuna’s keeper, Sergio Herrera, had no trouble stopping it. Honestly, Osasuna nearly shocked everyone before halftime. Ante Budimir battled through two defenders and poked the ball off the post.
Barcelona picked up the pace after the break. Dani Olmo should’ve scored from close range, but he fluffed it. Flick then rolled the dice from the bench, bringing on three subs, including Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, to take over the right flank.
Rashford almost made an immediate impact, curling a shot just over and injecting some much-needed speed. He set up the opener too, swinging in a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who lost his marker and buried his header. Torres, another sub, finished with precision to double the lead.
Still, it wasn’t comfortable. Garcia scored for Osasuna in stoppage time, left wide open in the box, forcing Barcelona to sweat out the last minutes. The Catalans dug in, clearing everything in sight as Osasuna pressed, but finally, they held on for their tenth league win in a row. Now, all they can do is wait.
