Hansi Flick talks Kounde, Cubarsi, Torres, Ancelotti after Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid | OneFootball

The last night was a memorable one for FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick as the German coach led his team to add another trophy to their cabinet, the second under him, by winning the Copa del Rey final over Real Madrid.

The two teams fought out a thrilling match, as the scores remained 2-2 by the end of normal time. The game was ultimately decided in extra time, when Jules Kounde gave his side the lead in the 116th minute.

Flick was naturally very happy with the events of the night, and expressed his positive thoughts in his presser after the game, the highlights of which have been reported by Mundo Deportivo.

The German coach gave his players credit for not giving up and continuing to fight till the very last minute:

“I can only thank my players for the great performance they delivered today. They kept pushing for the goal and never gave up.”

The German coach praised Kounde in particular for his offensive and defensive contributions:

“When I saw the celebration, it was incredible. I feel happy for the victory, for all of them. In the second half, Madrid played very well, Koundé saved two Real Madrid chances and ended up scoring in extra time. The positive spirit we work with helped us; it was a perfect night.”

Barcelona player Jules Kounde [Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images]

The Barcelona trainer revealed that he will let his players celebrate this win for one day and highlighted how it will help drive the team forward:

“Today I’ll let them celebrate, but only for today… Winning this final will surely give us confidence.”

Hansi Flick praised the defence and spoke highly of two players in particular:

“All the players did a great job defensively. Jules had some important moments. Everyone had the right mentality. Cubarsí never gives up — he’s 18 years old and he’s fantastic. He looks like an experienced player.”

Ferran Torres was also decisive in this game, as he equalised the scores, after Madrid had taken the lead, and took the game to extra time. The German coach highlighted his most notable qualities:

“He knows how to score goals and he also knows how to defend, attack, and press. This stage suits him well because he scored here when Spain beat Germany 6-0. I think he has taken a very important step forward.”

Lastly, the Barcelona tactician also spoke well of his opponent on the night, Carlo Ancelotti:

“I wished him all the best. I have great respect for him. He is one of the most successful coaches, and it is an honor to compete against him.”

Hansi Flick and the team will be ecstatic to have achieved one-third of the treble. But they now have another crucial game against Inter Milan awaiting them, and thus cannot spend too much time celebrating.