Barcelona manager Hansi Flick reveals content of long talk with squad – ‘We need to…’

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick placed a major emphasis on one word during his pre-match press conference ahead of their trip to RCD Mallorca – ‘fight’. The German coach held an hour-long discussion with his players before their training session on Monday, as the staff sought to highlight their errors in a three-game winless run in La Liga.

Flick was intense about emphasizing the idea of fighting for victory, having seen his side go down to a Las Palmas full of character. Their game at Son Moix on Tuesday promises another heated encounter.

“What I mentioned during their talk, was that we need to fight. As a player, I was more for this, I do not like to lose, and I think what we need to do most, is to fight. To be ready, not just to play, but to fight for it. I think we need more of this attitude. We have some space to get better in that regard.”

He was asked whether he felt that this fight was something they had had and lost, and what the reasons were for the Las Palmas loss.

“We put a lot into it. We had a lot of chances against Las Palmas, and we showed the players that, but this is also a little bit of what I’m looking for, that fight. To know, ‘Ok, I’m here, I’m ready and I know the ball is coming to me like this. And I’m there to fight for it’.”

“The will is there, the hunger is there, and when I look and I see Pau Cubarsi who is 17-year-old, or Inigo, how they play, at the level they are at, every game, they are important for us. Also Pedri in the midfield, he is really unbelievable in every match, he runs a lot, he puts a lot in, and the others too. But I just want to speak about these three, and also Raphinha, this is important for me, and everyone has to give the best they can.”

“We started really well, we dipped in November, and hopefully we will be back up in December, and we have to fight for it. It’s a long, long road, a long La Liga season, and this is how I see it. We want to fight. And at the end of the season, we want to win the title. Of course, we are Barcelona, this is an amazing club, and I want to see everyone fighting. This is our goal. We give everything to reach that goal.”

The Blaugrana have seen their lead in La Liga erased to one point, with Real Madrid behind and Atletico Madrid just two points away, but Los Blancos have a game in hand. Despite playing the best football of anyone in Spain for several weeks, they have struggled to maintain it, and now Flick has the challenge of lifting his players after a significant drop-off.