Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was beaming with pride after his side’s emphatic 7-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday. The German tactician reserved special praise for Fermin Lopez, who stole the show with two goals and two assists.
“Fermin was outstanding,” Flick said in his post-match press conference. “He showed his strength, dynamism, and ability to make a difference. He was involved in many goals and deservedly earned the man of the match award.”
Lopez’s performance was a testament to Flick’s willingness to give younger players a chance. The Barcelona manager acknowledged that he wishes to give more game time to players like Lopez, but admitted that it’s not always possible.
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Flick also singled out Ferran Torres for praise, who scored a goal and was a constant threat throughout the match. “I was very happy with him today, but I think he could have scored two or three more goals,” Flick said. “That’s his job, and he’s shown he can do that.”
Alejandro Balde was another player who caught Flick’s eye, with the young left-back drawing comparisons to Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies. “Balde is a player who needs confidence, and at the moment, his performances are amazing,” Flick said. “He has improved a lot, and I like what I see.”
Flick’s decision to rotate his squad paid dividends, with several players who don’t usually start impressing against Valencia. “To see the players perform like this, regardless of their previous participation, is great,” Flick said. “We have a strong team, and I think this performance should be a starting point to continue playing at this level.”
The Barcelona manager also addressed the goalkeeping situation, with Wojciech Szczesny starting ahead of Inaki Pena. “Szczesny and Pena are both fantastic goalkeepers,” Flick said. “We decided that Szczesny would start today, and I think it was the right decision.”
Flick remained coy about the future of Ansu Fati, who was an unused substitute against Valencia. “I don’t have any new information,” Flick said. “We spoke, and I think he wants to stay, but like with other players, they have to prove themselves and perform when they get the chance.”
The Barcelona manager did, however, express his desire to keep Eric Garcia at the club. “I want him to stay,” Flick said. “He’s a very important player. I know he wants to play more, but he played well today and showed how good he is.”
Overall, Flick was delighted with his team’s performance, which marked a return to winning ways in La Liga. “The energy on the pitch was great from the start of the game,” Flick said. “We started with the first goal, then we continued playing like that, and it was great to see that.”
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