Hansi Flick has applauded Barcelona’s performance after they sealed a comeback 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday to move closer to a successful title defence.
The Blaugrana had suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat in their last visit to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the Copa del Rey semifinals, but bagged their sixth consecutive win to move seven points clear at the top of the standings, after Real Madrid fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at Mallorca.
Atletico Madrid raced into the lead in the 39th minute as Giovanni Simeone brought down a long ball and fired past Joan Garcia to put his side 1-0 up.
However, they were only ahead for three minutes as good interplay between Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo allowed the former to score a superb equalizer.
“It’s not easy to play here because the atmosphere and emotions are very high here,” Flick said after the game.
“I am really happy with these three points. We need this hunger and we have to win the games, we have eight games to play. We have to stay focused and always be ready.”
Nico Gonzalez was sent off deep into first half stoppage time after bringing down Lamine Yamal and denying a goalscoring opportunity in the process.
Barcelona were also fortunate early in the second half as Gerard Martin’s red card was downgraded to a yellow after a VAR review.
The Spanish champions dominated the second half, but were unable to convert their numerous chances until Robert Lewandowski grabbed the winner with only three minutes of normal time left to play.
Barcelona sealed a 2-1 win and edged closer to the title, with only eight games to play.
“We know that Champions League is totally different and every players has more to give. Everyone wants to be in the semi-final. We have three days more to prepare, to rest a little bit and focus on the next game. These are the kind of games why I do this job”, Flick concluded.
Both sides meet again on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg at Camp Nou, with the return leg set to take place next week at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
