Flick talks Pedri, Olmo, Szczesny, Cubarsi, red card after Benfica 0-1 Barcelona | OneFootball

Hansi Flick could finally relax as the referee signalled the end of the match, which ended 1-0 in Barcelona’s favour. His expression in the press room made it clear just how much this victory meant to him.

His connection with the Stadio Da Luz remains as strong as ever, and after watching his team fight heroically despite being down to ten men for most of the game, he made sure to acknowledge the tremendous effort put in by his players.

“I am very proud of the team. After being left with one less in the 22nd minute, it was a great performance by my team. I said ‘hats off’ to them for their work,” he began saying.

Thoughts on Pedri and Olmo

Hansi Flick praised Pedri. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

One of the standout performers on the night was Pedri, who once again proved why he is regarded as one of the most talented players in the squad.

Flick was delighted with the level he is playing at and acknowledged how important he is to the team’s structure. “He is at a brutal, incredible level, we are happy for him,” said the manager

Dani Olmo, on the other hand, was substituted during the game, leading to some speculation about his reaction. Flick addressed the situation by clarifying that the decision was purely tactical.

It had nothing to do with Olmo’s individual performance but was rather a move to ensure the team maintained balance on the pitch.

“This happens, you have to choose. It had nothing to do with him or his performance, just tactical adjustments. I think we made the right changes in the game.”

On Wojciech Szczesny

Wojciech Szczesny was extremely crucial for Barcelona. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

In goal, Wojciech Szczesny delivered a brilliant performance, proving once again why he is such a crucial part of the squad.

Keeping a clean sheet while being a man down for most of the match was no easy task, but he rose to the challenge.

“It’s very important to keep a clean sheet in a game with 10 players. It was a fantastic night, Szczesny saved us and got that clean sheet, I’m very happy for him.

“I think he’s gaining confidence with each game. We’re also defending better. I know he can play at this level, I see him every day in training. He’s a fantastic goalkeeper.”

Cubarsi’s red card

Pau Cubarsi was shown a straight red card. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

The red card shown to Cubarsi was undoubtedly a major turning point in the match, but Flick was more focused on how his team responded to the setback.

Rather than losing control, they regrouped, stayed disciplined, and executed the game plan effectively. Szczesny may have been the standout in defence, but it was a collective effort that ensured the team held on to the lead.

“These things happen in a match. The most important thing is how we reacted, which was very good.

“Szczesny had a fantastic match, not only him but also the rest of the players. It was good to see the performance of the whole team.”

Source: AS