Barcelona coach Hansi Flick believes there’s still plenty of room for improvement in his team’s performance.
While the win brings relief, it doesn’t fully satisfy Flick. The Barcelona coach wasn’t entirely pleased with his team’s display, especially in the first half, where he had some serious concerns. Looking ahead, he sees many areas that need improvement.
On Saturday, Barcelona faced Las Palmas away in La Liga. The first half was frustrating for the visitors, as they struggled to create clear chances and lacked fluency in attack. Their play was disjointed at times.
The breakthrough finally came in the 62nd minute when substitute Dani Olmo found the net, easing some of Barcelona’s worries. Then, in the fifth minute of added time, another substitute, Ferran Torres, sealed the victory.
After the match, Flick admitted he was frustrated with the first-half display.
“I’m not completely happy with this match. But I am happy with the three points.”
“At halftime, I was concerned. I asked the team to correct a few things, and they understood. Their second-half performance improved. They saw how to make the necessary adjustments.”
The Barcelona coach also explained what he had demanded from his players.
“It was about getting everyone involved and working together as a team. Another clean sheet was important. In the first half, we lost the ball too many times, and that was something we needed to improve.”
Earlier in the day, Atlético Madrid had briefly moved to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Valencia. However, Barcelona reclaimed the top spot a few hours later with this victory.
La Liga Standings:
- Barcelona: 54 points (25 matches)
- Atlético Madrid: 53 points (25 matches)
- Real Madrid: 51 points (24 matches)
If Real Madrid wins their match against Girona on Sunday, they will be level on points with Barcelona, but Barça will remain on top due to their head-to-head advantage.
While Flick is pleased to keep the top spot, he insists there’s no room for complacency.
“Overall, I’m happy… because we are still leading and in a good position. But we know there’s more room for improvement. If we want to move forward, we must maintain this progress.”
This win marked Barcelona’s fifth consecutive victory in La Liga. They remain unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions in 2024 (11 wins, 2 draws).
Match Highlights:
Las Palmas had the first big chance just two minutes into the match, with Stefan Bajcetic testing goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a low shot.
Barcelona’s first real opportunity came in the fourth minute, but Robert Lewandowski failed to direct his header on target from an Alejandro Balde cross. Two minutes later, the Polish striker sent a free-kick over the bar.
Las Palmas nearly took the lead in the 14th minute when Sandro Ramírez’s close-range effort forced a save from Szczesny, who pushed it out for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Mika Marmol’s shot deflected off Jules Koundé and went out.
Barcelona escaped again in the 25th minute when Alberto Moleiro’s shot from inside the box narrowly missed the target. In the 32nd minute, Lamine Yamal’s curling effort went just wide.
In the 61st minute, Yamal delivered a pinpoint cross, but Raphinha’s header was off target. A minute later, substitute Dani Olmo finally broke the deadlock. Yamal’s excellent pass found Olmo in the box, where he controlled the ball, dribbled past a defender, and fired a powerful left-footed shot that struck the underside of the crossbar before going in.
In the 71st minute, Yamal sent another great cross to Lewandowski, but his header was comfortably saved by Jasper Cillessen. Two minutes later, the 36-year-old striker wasted another good opportunity, blasting his shot over the bar.
Las Palmas appealed for a penalty in the 80th minute when a shot from Álex Suárez struck Eric García’s hand inside the box. The players protested fiercely, and tensions flared on the pitch. Suárez and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong were both shown yellow cards. After a lengthy VAR review, the referee ruled offside in the buildup, dismissing the penalty claims.
With five minutes of regulation time remaining, Ferran Torres replaced Yamal. In the fifth minute of added time, Torres sealed the victory. Raphinha set him up, and the 24-year-old Spanish forward struck a powerful left-footed shot from the edge of the six-yard box. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the net, sending Barcelona into celebration.
Las Palmas now sit 17th in the table with 23 points from 25 matches.
