Flick remembers heated derby, urges respectful celebration
The Catalan derby is bringing back bitter memories from two years ago — when Barcelona’s title celebrations, led by Robert Lewandowski and Marc-André ter Stegen, were suddenly disrupted by angry Espanyol fans storming the pitch.
Though Hansi Flick wasn’t with Barcelona at the time, he’s well aware of what happened. The German coach watched it unfold live on TV. With that incident in mind, he’s assured that if Barcelona clinch the title again, the celebrations this time will be handled with respect.
Barcelona face Espanyol on Thursday in the 36th round of La Liga. A win would officially seal the league title for the Catalan giants. However, if Real Madrid drop points against Mallorca on Wednesday, Barcelona could secure the championship even before kickoff.
Back in 2023, Barcelona played Espanyol under similar circumstances. They won 4-2, reclaiming the La Liga crown — a result that pushed Espanyol closer to relegation. Eventually, the rivals were demoted that season.
Barcelona players had begun celebrating on the pitch, dancing and cheering after a goal. But part of the home crowd at Espanyol’s stadium rushed the field, forcing Lewandowski, ter Stegen, and others to flee to the dressing room.
Now, Barça find themselves with another opportunity to celebrate a title on Espanyol’s turf. When asked about the potential scenario, Flick said the team will be cautious.
“I don’t think it’s good to talk or think about celebrating before the match,” Flick said.
“We need to stay focused. I saw what happened two years ago on TV. Whatever we do, we must do it with respect. We’ll fight for the three points, and then we’ll do what’s right.”
Barcelona currently lead the table with 82 points from 35 matches. Espanyol, on the other hand, are in 16th place with 39 points and still need more to ensure safety from relegation.
Despite Espanyol’s poor recent form — they’ve lost their last three league games — Flick isn’t taking them lightly.
“It’s a derby, and Espanyol have done well in the second half of the season,” he said.
“They have good and important players, and they’ve improved. They have a playing style and they know exactly how they want to play.”
