Barcelona celebrates its anniversary on November 29 and Hansi Flick and the entire first team squad are invited to the celebration party at the Gran Teatre del Liceu before hosting Las Palmas this Saturday. “It is an honor to be the coach of Barça,” acknowledged the German coach, who is leader of the League and third in the Champions League.
It hasn’t been six months since he landed, but Flick has captured the Barcelona idiosyncrasy. “I think it is a fantastic, incredible club. From the first minute I was very impressed with how it worked. Now that I’ve been here for a while and I like that we work with a lot of freedom. When I walk through the streets of Barcelona, the way the fans interact with me is very friendly. It is a great pleasure to work here. It is more than a club, I reaffirm that,” he explained about his feelings.
“I like that we work with a lot of freedom and that when the fans interact with me on the street they are very friendly.”
But the coach, perks of the job, focuses more on the rival and the weekend game. And to receive the Canaries, Barça recovers Lamine Yamal, who has missed the last three games due to an ankle injury. “He’s back and ready to play. We have not yet decided if he will be in the eleven and how many minutes he will have. But he can play and he will play,” he revealed.
The Blaugrana, against Brest (3-0), finally won without the winger. Flick liked the level of his team. “The best thing for the team now is to win the Las Palmas game. We are not worried about what will happen next. It is important to repeat the performance of the Brest and the same style. The best and those in the best condition will play,” he said about possible breaks.
De Jong needs to regain confidence. Against Las Palmas I need the best team and that is the reason why they don’t have as many minutes. But nothing happens because he will come back and he will come back fine.”
With Casadó sanctioned for the expulsion in Vigo, the coach has two options for the midfielder. One is Gavi and the other is Frenkie de Jong. Both have recently returned from long-term injuries but the sensations are opposite, especially after the Dutchman heard some whistles when he entered the pitch last Tuesday.
“Frenkie has gone through a long injury. He took a good blow (in San Sebastián) that was painful. And that has to be managed too. Now he needs to regain trust. I know it’s important for him to have minutes. But we analyze each game and against Las Palmas I need the best team. That’s the reason why he doesn’t have as many minutes. But nothing happens because he will come back and he will come back well,” he argued.
I am clear about it: I like that the fans support all the players. “That’s the perfect scenario.”
Of course, De Jong didn’t like the whistles. “I am clear about it. I like that the fans support all the players. The fans are fantastic and I think there is a great connection but the perfect scenario is for the public to support all the footballers.”
The one who is close to returning is Ronald Araújo, still unpublished this season after being injured with Uruguay this summer. “He is training and every day he is getting better and training with greater intensity. On Sunday he will participate in a little game, it is a small step, I wouldn’t say a special date because I don’t want to put pressure on him but he is close to returning to the team,” he explained.
What will take even longer will be the return to the Camp Nou, initially scheduled for this 125th anniversary. Flick has no new information. “My job is to coach the team. It is when you build a house that the builders cannot give you a date because the work can take months. But the truth is that I don’t care. When it will be there, the club will let us know, we will see it and we will return,” he noted.
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