FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has urged his side to deliver an immediate and emphatic response when they return to LaLiga action against Girona FC on Monday, following a chastening 4–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.
The Catalan club were comprehensively outplayed at the Metropolitano Stadium, where Diego Simeone’s side imposed themselves physically and tactically from the outset. Flick did not disguise his disappointment with the first-half performance, describing it as below the level required for such a high-stakes contest.
“It was a Champions League-level match,” he told reporters. “Atlético were ready for the fight. In the first 45 minutes, we were not. In every duel, in every one-against-one situation, they were more dynamic and more aggressive. That is precisely what I want from my team.”
Despite the severity of the defeat, Flick insisted that the mood within the squad has shifted in the days since. He expressed satisfaction with the intensity shown in training and challenged his players to replicate that focus and urgency in competitive action.
The timing of the setback has sharpened the pressure in the league title race. On Saturday, Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad to move two points clear at the summit, tightening the margins in an already finely balanced contest.
Recent Context
| Competition | Fixture | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Copa del Rey | Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona | 4–0 |
| LaLiga | Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad | Win (RM) |
| Upcoming Fixture | Barcelona vs Girona | TBD |
Flick, however, struck a note of resilience. “You can lose to Atlético; they are a top side. What matters now is how we respond. The season is long and everything remains possible,” he said. “When we function as a collective, when every player gives one hundred per cent, our quality is enormous. Defeats happen. The reaction defines you.”
There was encouraging news on the personnel front. Brazilian winger Raphinha has recovered in time to face Girona, a development Flick described as “excellent news”. He praised the forward’s dynamism and intensity, suggesting his presence lifts the entire squad. “You see it in training — he raises the level,” Flick remarked, adding that in his view Raphinha had been “the best player in the world” last season.
By contrast, Marcus Rashford remains sidelined with a knee issue, though the problem is reportedly improving.
Although Barcelona lodged a formal complaint regarding refereeing inconsistencies after the Atlético defeat, Flick ultimately accepted responsibility. “It was not the referee’s fault that we lost,” he conceded. “What we can change, we must change — and we will.”
Monday’s encounter with Girona now assumes heightened significance. Beyond three points, it represents an opportunity to restore belief, reaffirm standards, and demonstrate that the Copa setback was an aberration rather than a warning sign.
