Barcelona’s Coach Hansi Flick, thrilled after winning the Copa del Rey by defeating Real Madrid, has urged his team to remain grounded if they want to reach even greater heights this season.
In an exhilarating match, Barcelona claimed a 3-2 victory over their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, in the Copa del Rey final. After a dramatic second half, Barcelona managed to turn the game around, with the victory securing their 32nd Copa del Rey title – a record in the competition’s history.
While celebrating this triumph, Flick reminded his team that there are still two more major trophies to be fought for this season. Barcelona is currently leading La Liga, 4 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, and is gearing up for a Champions League semi-final clash with Inter Milan on Wednesday.
However, for now, Flick wants everyone to focus on celebrating the Copa del Rey victory.
“It’s been a perfect night. I’m incredibly proud. The way they’ve fought, it’s amazing. The attitude of never giving up is something I truly admire. I believe the club, the fans, everyone should be proud of this team,” said Flick.
“Winning the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid in a classic match is always special. I’m happy for the players and for the thousands of fans in the stands; they deserved this trophy. Now, we must celebrate, but our focus must shift to recovery. We have a chance to win the treble, but we need to keep working hard.”
This was Barcelona’s third consecutive win over Real Madrid. Earlier this season, they had secured a 4-0 victory in La Liga at Santiago Bernabeu and a 5-2 win in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Barcelona dominated the first half of the final, with Pedri scoring a brilliant goal to give them the lead. However, in the second half, Real Madrid pressured them, scoring two quick goals within 8 minutes. Kylian Mbappé equalized from a free-kick, and Aurélien Tchouaméni put Real ahead with a header. But in the 84th minute, Ferran Torres leveled the score for Barcelona, and in extra time, a goal from Jules Koundé sealed the win.
Flick praised the team’s resilience and mindset. He believes that if they can keep their focus, the sky’s the limit for Barcelona.
“At the start of the season, I said I came here with my assistants to create a positive atmosphere in the dressing room. I wanted to show that you can enjoy football and still play at the highest level. I believe creating that environment in the dressing room is key, and it’s crucial.”
“That kind of environment gives us confidence. It’s about everyone — the staff, the players. Their mentality is excellent. The way they turned the game around, the positive mindset to shift the momentum of the match… It’s incredible.”
Barcelona’s next match in La Liga will be against Valladolid on May 3rd. Following that, they will face Real Madrid once again on May 11th, a match that could decide the La Liga title for this season.
