Barcelona left the latest Clásico with their first LaLiga defeat of the season, a setback against Real Madrid that ended a run of nine straight league wins and sent Hansi Flick into a frank assessment of his side’s performance.
A difficult night for Barcelona
Flick did not seek to hide behind the recent difficulties faced by his squad. Instead, the German coach accepted responsibility and said Barcelona must address the lack of energy evident during the match.
- Barcelona had opened the league campaign with nine consecutive victories before losing to Real Madrid.
- Flick said his team had not looked fresh enough on the day.
- He described the first half as below Barcelona’s required level.
- Barcelona improved after drawing level at 1-1 and, in Flick’s view, took greater control of the contest in the second half.
“We are disappointed,” Flick said. “The first half was not good. After the 1-1 in the second half, we were better and I think we controlled the game. We lacked a little luck, but they did things well. Without the ball, they did not give us much room, and it was clear today that we were lacking freshness.”
The coach said the response must now come through analysis and improvement rather than explanations. “We have been through a lot, but I do not want to talk about those situations when we lose,” he said. “I would rather do that when we win, because otherwise it looks as though we are making excuses. I do not accept excuses.”
Madrid’s defensive work earns Flick’s respect
In the Spanish capital’s familiar football rivalry, Flick also made a point of recognising the standard set by Real Madrid. He felt their work away from possession was particularly effective, limiting Barcelona’s room to build attacking momentum.
“We played against an opponent with enormous quality,” he said. “They worked without the ball much better than perhaps in other Clásicos in previous years.”
Barcelona’s coach added that defeat remains part of a long season, even after such a strong opening sequence.
- Flick stressed that nine league wins had preceded the loss.
- He said defeat is a normal element of football, but must be followed by a clear reaction.
- Barcelona’s immediate priorities are to refocus and recover physically.
- Flick believes there remains a long route to the end of the campaign.
“It is our first defeat in the league,” he said. “We had won nine in a row, and that must also be taken into account. Losing is part of football, but now we have to analyse what happened, do things better, and we will do that. That is what matters.”
Paris next on Barcelona’s schedule
The squad’s plans after the match underlined the speed of the continental calendar. Barcelona chose to return to their hotel for the night before travelling directly to Paris on Monday.
Flick said his players must recover quickly before turning their attention to the next assignment. “We have to focus again and recover well,” he said. “Losing is always bad, but as I have said many times, there is still a very long way to go before the end of the season. These things happen and we have to respond.”
