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Flick talks Lewandowski, Lamine, Pedri, Olmo, Raphinha after Barcelona 4-3 Celta Vigo
Barcelona bounced back from two goals behind to defeat Celta Vigo 4-3 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys earlier today.
Raphinha was the hero for the Blaugrana as he sparked the comeback with the scoreline at 1-3, first setting Dani Olmo up for the team’s second goal before netting a match-winning brace.
Despite being backed into a corner, Barça showed great fighting spirit to come out on top and secure three important points which could prove telling in the La Liga title race.
The attitude and mental fortitude shown by the players earned a lot of praise from Barcelona manager Hansi Flick in the post-match press conference, as he said:
“First of all, I am very proud. We won a great game. We were 1-3 down, but we never threw in the towel. It was tough, it was hard, but we gave everything and we won.”
Flick had already lavished praise on Raphinha during a pitchside interview after the game and once again hailed the Barcelona winger for his contributions.
“I am happy with him. He was very important because in the first half, he suffered a bit and I told him to think positively. After 1-3 he was unbelievable,” the manager said.
On whether he believed in a comeback when the Catalans were trailing 1-3, Flick remarked:
“I always believe in the positive. The second goal was an important moment, it changed everything and it was fantastic to see the attitude of the team.”
On being asked if he thought the penalty that his team was awarded was the right call, he added: “I didn’t see the penalty, so I couldn’t speak, but I think so.”
Amid concerning reports suggesting that Robert Lewandowski could be out for three weeks, Flick provided an update on the situation, saying:
“We have to wait. From my experience, it’s better to wait and see how he is tomorrow.”
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Set for an extended period on the sidelines? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Barcelona have pulled off some stunning comebacks this season – one against Benfica, Atletico Madrid, and now Celta Vigo. On being asked where today’s win ranks for him, Flick replied:
“One of the biggest because we’re at the end of the season. One game less, three points more… It’s fantastic to see that.”
Talking about Olmo and the impact he made after coming on as a substitute in the second period, Flick stated:
“He has precious qualities, but he has to show them in every game. Pedri is the same. He performs in every game and that’s what we want from Dani. And if that happens, we’ll be delighted.”
Looking forward to the rest of the season, Flick insisted that it will be important for Barcelona to stay positive, saying:
“‘The important thing is not to give up. In November we played with a lot of negative energy, and now it’s the opposite, we play with positive energy. That’s very important for me, to show that we are going to fight until the end.
“And I love that mentality. We probably weren’t perfect in some actions but we showed courage and we showed the three points.”
Concluding, Flick spoke about the importance of mental strength and physical fitness heading into the final phase of the season, saying:
“Of course it is. This is not only in football but in life. Mental strength is important. I said it yesterday. If you are tired, there will be players who can’t play 90 minutes, because they play 30 minutes.
“I asked Lamine: can you play? And he says, yes: 30 minutes. And I like that and that’s important.”
Source: AS
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