Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has expressed his frustration over the string of injuries affecting his players.
Some are returning, others are picking up new injuries, and a few have been sidelined for a long time. Flick is far from pleased with the situation and is actively seeking solutions to prevent such recurring issues throughout the season.
Andreas Christensen and Gavi have been out for an extended period. Midfield mainstay Pedri has recently suffered an injury, and now a key attacking player, Raphinha, is also sidelined. After missing Barcelona’s most recent La Liga match, Raphinha will be out for about a week.
This means Flick will have to manage without one of his key goal-scoring threats against Albacete. Barcelona will face the second-tier side in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Tuesday. At a press conference the day before, the German coach voiced his dissatisfaction with the ongoing injury problems.
“Honestly, I’m not happy at all. Raphinha is an important player for us. We’ll see what adjustments we need to make for him and what changes we must implement as a team. The crucial part of the season is starting, and we need everyone available. The fact that he can’t play right now is not ideal.”
After eliminating teams like Real Madrid and Celta Vigo to reach the quarter-finals, Flick is cautious about facing the surprise package, Albacete.
“We always analyze our opponents. Observing where they’ve performed well, like in the matches against Celta Vigo and Real Madrid, is very important.”
“Initially, the mindset and attitude we bring to the field are crucial. We need to improve in some small areas. I was pleased with our performance against Elche; the way we played was good. It’s true that we missed some big opportunities. It’s not about perfection, it’s about improvement. And I think we have improved a lot.”
Flick also reflected on the team’s progress since their 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League last November.
“If you look at where we were after the Chelsea match, it shows how much we’ve progressed. The team needs confidence, and we must trust them. Tomorrow’s match (Tuesday) will be about mindset. We have many quality players, but the right mentality will make the difference.”
