As the coach of Barcelona, Hansi Flick is planning to rely on his team’s talented young players, such as teen sensation Lamine Yamal and 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, to help bring home a victory in Saturday’s highly anticipated El Clasico matchup against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having led the team to the top of the La Liga table, Flick is eager to see his players adapt to the unique challenge of the Clasico and bring their A-game to the pitch. “I always talk to the players,” he said, highlighting the importance of individual performance. “We have a great team and exceptional players like Lamine, he is doing very well, but then you see what Cubarsi is doing at 17 years old and he is also very good. We need everyone at their best, that is the most important thing.”
Flick’s praise for Cubarsi was unwavering, saying, “It’s great to be able to see how he plays. It’s all down to him, what he’s doing, he always has that hunger to improve and train hard. He gives everything for the club and is on an extraordinary path without a doubt.”
The clash with Real Madrid marks a fresh opportunity for Flick to stamp his mark on the club and somehow turn the tables on his predecessor Xavi Hernandez, who led Barcelona to numerous successes during his tenure.
In contrast, Real Madrid has won the last four meetings between the two teams, and will look to make it five on Saturday. However, Flick is confident in his team’s abilities, stating, “We have a great team and exceptional players. In every game we have to adapt to the next game and now it’s time to adapt to Real Madrid. It’s like every game, now we play against Madrid and all the players are very prepared, but I trust my players because they are doing great.”
With the defeat of Bayern Munich in the Champions League earlier this week, Flick’s side is on a high and he is keen to keep the momentum going. “After going a goal down against Bayern we retaliated and went on to win the game and that’s a good sign because it means that we believe in ourselves. With more possession and in attack, with and without the ball. We have shown it and we will continue to show it.”
As he prepares his team for the big match, Flick emphasized the importance of the connection between the players and the fanbase. “There’s a big change here at the club and at Barcelona, and you can feel it, the connection is admirable, the atmosphere last Wednesday was fantastic. That’s why we play football and we give everything to win. It’s our job and everyone, when you play, you do it for them, for the fans, playing the Clasico is what you want most.” He also made a distinction between the Clasico of Germany, saying, “In Germany there are Clasicos but it’s not the same, Barca-Madrid is the Clasico in capital letters.”
