Hansi Flick talks Yamal, de Jong, Torres, Lewandowski after Mallorca 1-5 Barcelona

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick took to the press room at Son Moix and addressed the media following his team’s impressive 5-1 victory over Mallorca.

This commanding performance was a welcome sight after three consecutive disappointing results against Real Sociedad, Celta Vigo, and Las Palmas.

Flick’s analysis reflected both satisfaction and constructive observations as he discussed the game’s highlights and individual performances.

Reflecting on the result, Flick expressed his overall contentment with the match, though he admitted some defensive aspects could have been better.

While the team did concede a goal, he emphasised that he was pleased with the players’ effort over the full 90 minutes. Flick’s satisfaction was heightened by Barcelona’s ability to find the back of the net multiple times, with five goals showcasing their attacking prowess.

“The 90 minutes were good. I like the team not to concede any goals. Today it wasn’t possible, but I can’t complain. It was a very good game, I’m very happy,” he began saying.

Offside and defensive structure

Flick also touched on the defensive organisation, pointing out that Mallorca’s 10 offsides during the match were noteworthy, though it was frustrating for players to have to sprint back repeatedly.

Still, he took pride in how his team handled these situations and maintained their focus throughout.

“It is annoying that players have to sprint backwards when in many cases it is clear that there is an offside,” he noted.

“For me, it’s important to have scored a lot of goals, five today.”

On Lamine Yamal

Individually, Flick highlighted the contributions of several key players, starting with Lamine Yamal. The young talent played a pivotal role, drawing a penalty and demonstrating his ability to create opportunities.

Flick praised him as a difference-maker but also acknowledged the importance of experienced players like Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha, and others who complement Yamal’s impact.

“Lamine makes the difference, forcing the penalty and creating, but we need Lamine as well as ‘top’ players like Pedri, Cubarsí, Frenkie, Raphinha.”

On Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres

The manager reserved special praise for Ferran Torres and Frenkie de Jong, two players who had a major influence on the game.

Torres opened the scoring as a centre forward, a position in which he excelled, while De Jong’s second-half performance stood out with a goal and an assist.

“In the first half we had chances and I’m glad that seeing Ferran as a centre forward he was able to score the 0-1, it’s important that he scored,” he explained.

Furthermore, Flick described De Jong’s role as a No. 10 as crucial, highlighting his ability to contribute significantly to the team’s attacking dynamics.

“He came on the field and, playing as a 10, he contributed a lot to the team, he’s an excellent player.”

Goals without Lewandowski

Finally, Flick addressed the decision to rest Robert Lewandowski, noting that it was not initially planned. However, intuition led the coaching staff to start the Polish striker on the bench, allowing him to recover from his heavy workload.

“Yes, indeed. Our decision today was very clear: yesterday it was not the plan to leave Lewandowski out. 

“But today we had the feeling and the intuition that he should start on the bench. He needed to rest, he has accumulated a lot of minutes,” he said. 

Despite Lewandowski’s absence, Barcelona delivered a dominant performance, a testament to the depth and versatility of the squad under Flick’s management.

Source: Mundo Deportivo