Flick on Lamine Yamal, Balde, Gavi, Rodri and the transfer market

FC Barcelona

Lamine Yamal is still looking for his best version

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Lamine Yamal
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Lamine Yamal suffered a minor setback in recent days due to a headache, although Flick does not seem particularly concerned about his condition. The coach recalled that the winger has only been able to complete a few training days after enjoying three weeks of vacation.

“It’s normal not to be at your maximum level”, explained the German, who took a positive view of the 60 minutes played by the Spanish international. Flick highlighted his work in the press for the first goal and his involvement in the second, handing the ball to Raphinha.

The Blaugrana coach believes that Lamine is still an exceptional and absolutely necessary player for the team. He also praised his ambition and his desire to keep winning titles: “When you’re a real champion, you always look to win the next one”.

Rodri will have minutes against Athletic

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One of the main updates from the press conference was confirmation of Rodri’s return. Flick said the midfielder is available and that the coaching staff plans to give him minutes against Athletic Club.

The German also spoke about a possible partnership with Pedri. Flick believes both can offer Barcelona greater control of the ball, something he felt was missing during parts of the last match against Elche.

“Rodri has more experience and is a total leader. With Pedri we can control the game and the ball”, he said. The coach is keen to see them together and believes that the pair can reach a very high level.

Bernal also comes into the plans

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Marc Bernal
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Flick did not want to overlook Marc Bernal when assessing the options available in midfield. The young academy player continues to be part of the coach’s plans and increases competition in a position where Barcelona has different profiles.

The presence of Rodri, Pedri and Bernal will allow the coaching staff to adapt the midfield to the needs of each match and to distribute the workload during a season that will again be packed with games.

Gavi will have to wait a week

The coach also provided an update on Gavi. The midfielder is better than after the last match, and the tests carried out have not shown any worrying injury.

However, Flick believes it is necessary to act with caution and said that we will have to wait about a week to see him again. Everything points, therefore, to him not being available for the Athletic match.

Flick asks Balde for maximum commitment

Alejandro Balde continues to be part of the squad, although whether he starts will be decided on the day of the match. Flick confirmed that he has had a conversation with the full-back and stressed the importance of him being fully committed.

The coach recalled the enormous potential of the academy player and his fantastic breakthrough into the first team. While he acknowledges his progress, he also believes there is still room to improve and demands that he stays 100% focused on professional football.

“He has the colors of Barça in his heart”, Flick said, before adding that each season new La Masia players arrive ready to compete for a place.

Cubarsí, Eric, Gerard and Koundé complete a defense you can trust

Flick believes that Barcelona does not need to sign another defender. The coach is satisfied with the options in his squad and highlighted in particular the versatility of Eric García, Jules Koundé and Gerard.

He also praised the performance delivered by Andreas Christensen and Gerard in the last match. However, the most notable comments were for Pau Cubarsí, whom he placed among the best central defenders at the moment.

The coach recalled that Cubarsí was named Best Young Player at the World Cup and explained that he will try to manage his minutes carefully. Last season he had a very high involvement, and Flick is convinced he will be important again in the new campaign.

Livakovic and Barcelona’s goalkeeping

The name of Dominik Livakovic also came up during the appearance. Flick acknowledged that the club has studied the possibility of bringing in an experienced goalkeeper with an eye on the coming seasons.

The coach said the technical staff is happy with Wojciech Szczęsny, although he did not completely close the door on an operation before the transfer window shuts: “We’ll see what happens in the coming days. There’s still a window”.

Julián Álvarez and the latest transfer-market moves

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Asked about the possibility of signing Julián Álvarez, Flick avoided going into specific names and referred to the president’s comments. The coach said that both Deco and he agree with the position conveyed by the club’s top executive.

Flick highlighted the work done by the club during the transfer window and stressed that sporting management must think about both the present and the future. While he always wants to improve the squad, he said that he fully trusts the players he has right now.

“The club is doing fantastic work because we’re also thinking about the future. That helps stabilize the club”, the coach explained.

Terzic’s Athletic: a rival with clear ideas

Athletic Club

Finally, Flick analyzed Athletic Club led by Edin Terzic, a coach he knows well and with whom he has previously kept in touch.

The Blaugrana coach expects to face a team with a very defined structure and a recognizable style. In his view, Terzic maintains a philosophy that fits perfectly with Athletic’s characteristics, so he anticipates a demanding match at the Spotify Camp Nou.