Flick rejects excuses as Barça face a packed schedule

“I tell the team there are no excuses,” Hansi Flick said. The Barça coach is not joining José Mourinho’s complaints about the time between matches, as his team prepares to face Betis, PSG and Real Madrid in just eight days. He is approaching the run with enthusiasm despite the demanding schedule.

Flick said he wanted to accept the situation and concentrate on what was within his control. “We are in this situation every season […]. What we can do is look at how we play,” he said, adding: “We cannot change the situation; we have to accept it.” He also recalled difficult circumstances his team had faced in the previous two seasons, including a bus journey back from Valencia after a flight was cancelled, followed by a match two days later.

The coach also underlined his confidence in the squad, praising the quality his players are showing and their potential to improve. For him, the priority is to maintain that level of play rather than dwell on the demands of the schedule.

Ahead of the meeting with Betis, Flick put winning that match before looking ahead to the games against PSG and Real Madrid. He described Betis as a quality side, particularly in attack and in one-on-one situations, and said his team would have to defend well. He also pointed to the team’s improvement over the last year and praised the work of its coach.

The same approach applies to what follows: focus on the next match and aim to perform at the highest level each time. Flick acknowledged that all three fixtures would be difficult, while noting that his team had defended fantastically against Galatasaray. He praised the performances of Pedri, Rodri and Fermín, and said he wanted to see that level in every match.