‘It wasn’t easy’… Hansi Flick reacts after Barcelona beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Santiago Bernabeu | OneFootball

FC Barcelona managed to thrash Real Madrid in what was one of their best performances this season. Clinical in front of goal and made sure to make Los Blancos pay for every mistake they made. A 4-0 demolition is ultimately what took place at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Barcelona were the ones to impose it on the other team.

Following the game, Hansi Flick gave a post-match press conference and was visibly happy with what he saw from his young Barcelona team. However, just as he does so often, the German coach was hardly too expressive and made sure to maintain his composure when answering the media.

Highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona head coach answers several questions, starting off with his initial reaction to the result:

“We’re starting the journey, preparing for each match, and we love doing things well. It wasn’t easy, but we need to stay on this path. We defended well and did a good job.”

As for his changes at half-time and what clicked for Barcelona in the second half of the game, Flick highlighted the emphasis on improving the defending and starting off from there:

“We made an adjustment, focused on solid defense, and put pressure on the ball. It was crucial to play well both with and without the ball. The key was that in the second half, we controlled possession better.”

The Barcelona coach also addressed a question that asked him if this was the happiest week of his career as a head coach, and he simultaneously also made sure to mention Inaki Pena, who was superb against Real Madrid:

“As I always say, I’m happy to work at Barça and live in Barcelona. It’s a new chapter in my life. We had a great game; everyone gave 100%, and I’m also pleased for Iñaki.”

Similarly, he also addressed how the team’s morale is looking after the game and stated that he was happy with the kind of feelings that could be seen in the locker room as well:

“A clean sheet is important too. And the way we played. They celebrated in the locker room, and that’s good; there’s more confidence now than there was.”

However, while Flick remains happy and wants to see his players thrive in his system and the atmosphere he creates around the club, he already wants to focus on the next game against Espanyol as well:

“We need to create an atmosphere where players can show their quality. The environment at the club and within the team is very positive. We can celebrate this victory; I’m giving them two days off after tomorrow’s recovery session. But it’s time to focus on the next game against Espanyol.”

Flick also claimed that each passing game is treated differently by him and his Barcelona coaching staff, and how this particular game was also crucial for Inaki Pena, a player that he continues to back:

“Every game is different; we have to do our job well. The back four were excellent. And for Iñaki, this game was crucial. Keeping a clean sheet against their forwards is really positive.”

Lastly, he also addressed the minor altercation with Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who seemed to be upset with the Barcelona bench for some reason. However, Flick replied swiftly to that and also pointed out how exactly his team’s offside trap ended up working well in Barça’s favor:

“Maybe something wasn’t quite right… It’s essential to function as a team, to attack and defend well. We handled the offside well in the first half; it may seem risky, but when done right, it just means we have to sprint back a lot.”

With this victory, Barcelona are now six points clear at the top of the La Liga table. Moreover, the Catalan giants have also managed to protect their record of the longest unbeaten streak in La Liga by defeating Los Blancos in this recent clash. For Hansi Flick, however, it seems that the work never stops.