HANSI FLICK'S PLEA: LA LIGA MUST PROTECT STAR PLAYERS LIKE LAMINE YAMAL
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is happy with the team's form, hailing Raphinha's return and Lamine Yamal's defence ahead of the crucial La Liga match at La Cartuja.
Barcelona's coach, Hansi Flick, says Frenkie de Jong and Fermin Lopez should be ready for this weekend's game against Real Betis. The team is trying to stay on top of La Liga at La Cartuja. Neither player has played in Barcelona's last two wins against Alaves and Atletico Madrid.
Lopez was out because of a muscle problem. He was supposed to be back the following week, but it looks like he's ready sooner.
Fermin is good to go. I don't know if he'll start, but I'm glad he's back. Dani's a good player, but these things happen, and we'll deal with it, Flick said after Dani Olmo was ruled out for the rest of the year. De Jong missed the first game for personal reasons and the second because he had the flu.
"I'm not sure about the kickoff," Flick said about de Jong's condition, "but he practised fully, so he's able to play."
Flick is also happy with how Lamine Yamal is playing.
He praised Eric Garcia earlier and had good things to say about Lamine Yamal's defence.
We always talk about players' defence and offence. He's doing great, especially against Atletico, with his intense pressing. I think he's really improved. I was impressed with what I saw in training today—unbelievable. It's great to see him at this level because he always wants to improve. He doesn't just stop after beating one player; he wants to cross and beat the next one.
Flick thinks La Liga officials could do more to protect the league's exciting players.
Many players in La Liga love to take on defenders, and the fans love that. But we need to protect them. Sometimes Lamine gets fouled, and it's clear, but nothing's called. We need to look at this and decide when to step in. These players need to have confidence, and we need to support them.
Flick is pleased with how the team has improved since their loss to Chelsea. They lost badly to Chelsea a little over a week ago, and Flick promised a better team. He's happy with what he's seeing now.
I'm pleased with our level after the Chelsea game. I have faith in my team, and I think we've shown that when we're together, we can play well and use the spaces well, and that's what I want to see.
Many believe Raphinha's return has been key to this, and Flick was asked about Raphinha's role.
Our relationship is good. Rapha is a very important player for us; I've always said it, and he showed why. He sets the tone, both with and without the ball. His intensity is great. Having him on the team is fantastic.
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.
