Barcelona’s Victory Overshadowed by Flick’s Call for Improvement
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has made it clear that his team needs to “improve a lot,” despite their 2-0 victory over Las Palmas on Saturday. This win allowed Barcelona to reclaim the top spot in LaLiga, but Flick’s post-match comments suggest that the performance left much to be desired.
Earlier in the day, Atlético Madrid had temporarily overtaken Barça by defeating Valencia. However, second-half goals from substitutes Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres ensured that the Catalan side returned to the summit.
As the race for the title intensifies, Real Madrid has the opportunity to draw level on 54 points with Barcelona, one point ahead of Atlético, when they host Girona on Sunday. The title race is heading towards a thrilling climax, and every point is crucial.
Reflecting on the match, Flick expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s first-half performance. “In the first half, I missed 5-10% from the players, maybe more,” he said. “It’s about positioning, the passing, all these things. It was not like we can do. We have to improve a lot after this match.”
Flick emphasized the importance of occupying the box effectively, stating, “It’s also about occupying the box. This was not good. We need players in the box, in the right position. It’s not always in the midfield where we build up, it’s also very important in the box. I am not happy about that and this is where we can do it better.”
Despite the performance concerns, Flick acknowledged the significance of the three points and the team’s position at the top of the table. “The players are also not happy with the performance, but very happy with the three points. We are still top of the table and this is a good situation. We always said we want to improve, be better, a better team. I think today we have to improve a lot.”
There were positives for Flick, particularly the contributions of substitutes Olmo and Torres, who scored the goals that secured the win at the Estadio Gran Canaria. Olmo, returning to full fitness after a recent injury, opened the scoring in the 62nd minute with his first goal since November, following a neat exchange with Lamine Yamal.
Torres’ late strike, which also went in off the bar, highlighted the depth of talent available to Flick. Both Olmo and Torres made compelling cases for more regular starting roles. Flick commented, “[Olmo] scored the first goal and it was very important for us. He was injured and maybe others have been one step higher with the fitness [recently], but Dani is very important. He needed these minutes to adapt and we are happy he scored the goal — it was good for him as well.”
Flick also praised Torres, saying, “But I am also happy with Ferran, he has scored a lot of goals and is on the bench, it’s not so easy for him. But they are doing good. They are always an option for the starting XI.”
Barcelona’s unbeaten streak in 2025 now extends to 13 games, but they face a quick turnaround with a crucial match against Atlético on Tuesday in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal. Atlético had previously defeated Barcelona 2-1 at the Olympic Stadium in LaLiga just before Christmas, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming encounter.
- Barcelona’s current standing: Top of LaLiga
- Key players: Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres
- Upcoming match: Copa del Rey semifinal against Atlético
Originally Written by: Sam Marsden,Moises Llorens
