"This is a problem" – Hansi Flick makes bold comments after Barcelona beat Real Madrid
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has asserted that he was not fully satisfied with his side's performance in a recent 2-1 pre-season friendly win over La Liga champions Real Madrid.
Earlier this Saturday (August 3), the Blaugrana registered their second friendly win on the trot after their 4-1 friendly win on penalties over Manchester City. Pau Victor scored a goal each on either side of the break, and Nico Paz got on the scoresheet in the 82nd minute.
After the end of Barcelona's match at MetLife Stadium in New York, United States, Flick opened up on his team's outing against Carlo Ancelotti's outfit. He opined (h/t Barca Universal):
"The win against Real Madrid? Well, we didn't press for the whole 90 minutes. This is a problem."
Flick, who replaced Xavi Hernandez at his current club, continued:
"We knew it was a Clasico match even though it was pre-season. I told my players that we want to see an improvement on the pitch compared to what was showed against Manchester City. I believe that is what happened. We did a good job."
Sharing thoughts on Barcelona's pressing for the ball, Flick added:
"In some situations, we collapse too much during the match, and do not put pressure on the rival player who has the ball. This can't happen. This is a problem. We have to focus on this and press during the whole the match."
The Blaugrana, who finished second behind rivals Real Madrid in the La Liga table last season, will next be in action on Tuesday (August 6). They will lock horns with AC Milan at M&T Stadium in Baltimore.
Real Madrid superstar offers advice to new signing following defeat against Barcelona
Real Madrid shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois has urged Los Blancos summer signing Endrick to calm down after his side's recent pre-season loss to Barcelona. He said (h/t Football Espana):
"He is not very tall, but he is very strong in his legs. He's a bit like Eden [Hazard] when I met him at Chelsea – he also had strong legs. You can kick him and he'll still stand. And he has a lot of strength in the shot. In training, I have seen him shoot hard. Above all, I think he has to calm down a little bit. I don't know if he's a little nervous, but he's going to get better and better."
Endrick, who joined Real Madrid in a potential €72 million deal in July, is yet to find the back of the net in two pre-season friendly matches.
Prior to joining Los Blancos, the 18-year-old striker scored 21 goals and registered four assists in 82 matches in all competitions for Palmeiras.