Barcelona coach Hansi Flick described his team’s 2-1 win at Atlético de Madrid as a “ten out of ten” performance, crediting his players for responding with intensity after a difficult first half, Mundo Deportivo reported.
The victory was secured by a second-half comeback, and Hansi Flick rated it a ‘ten’ for maintaining the team’s belief, though he distinguished between the first and second halves.
Halftime adjustments spark transformation
Barcelona entered the break level at 1-1, but Flick acknowledged his team’s display lacked the necessary intensity and pressing required to dominate an opponent at the Metropolitano. According to analysis from Madrid-Barcelona, the first half left the team looking “discreet: a team without pressure, without control of the ball, without criteria to build and with a disorder that facilitated the work of the rojiblancos.”
⏱️ 45' | Atleti 1-1 FC Barcelona Gol de Fermín.
“We adapted a little better at halftime,” Flick said, as reported by Notimérica. “In the first half, we were missing intensity. We wanted to press. The second half was good. The first half was not perfect, but the second was, and I believe we deserved the victory.”
The coach’s halftime message, as detailed by Madrid-Barcelona, was direct and motivational. Flick appealed to his players’ pride and the significance of defending the Barcelona crest, urging them to ‘have 45 minutes to prove them wrong.’.
De Jong’s tactical role proves decisive
A key decision that altered the match’s course was Flick’s use of midfielder Frenkie de Jong at right-back.
“I spoke with Frenkie before the match about playing in that position,” Flick explained to reporters. “He said if the team needed him, he was willing. The plan was for De Jong to spend approximately 50 minutes in the role before switching to midfield.”
FINAL #AtletiBarça 1-2 💙❤️ El @FCBarcelona_es se lleva los tres puntos en el último partido de la jornada en #LALIGAEASPORTS. #SiempreEnNuestroRecuerdo pic.twitter.com/FOwNdyqH2B
The tactical switch paid immediate dividends. De Jong’s performance in an unfamiliar position helped stabilize Barcelona’s defensive shape and was instrumental in the team’s improved pressing in the second half, Madrid-Barcelona noted. This allowed Barcelona to shift from a reactive stance to one that suffocated Atlético’s attacking flow.
Second-half intensity secures the points
The defining characteristic of Barcelona’s second-half performance was its aggressive, high-pressing game. Flick identified the shift in one-on-one duels as the turning point.
“The one-on-one pressure was important after the break,” he stated. “We were very far from our opponents in the first half, and it wasn’t easy. But we did better in the second half. The match is 90 minutes.”
At first, we didn’t have it… Atlético was much more involved in the game, winning the one-on-one duels, while we were not. But we came back.”
Barcelona’s improved pressure led to their winning goal, scored in the 66th minute. Flick’s side had turned a “worrisome” first half into a dominant second-half display, demonstrating the resilience he had demanded.
⏱️ 90' | Atleti 1-2 FC Barcelona Se jugarán un mínimo de cuatro minutos de tiempo añadido.
Flick’s message: belief in the team’s quality
After the match, Flick said the result helps restore confidence following losses to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. He framed the win as proof of his squad’s capabilities.
“Yes, we have the quality to win these types of matches,” Flick declared. “I believe in this team. In the second half, we played a great match. It’s not easy to win here. It is a long road in the season. We work every day to succeed and win titles.”
He also addressed the perception that his team had underperformed in recent defeats, telling Sports Illustrated, “We lost those two matches against Real Madrid and PSG, but I don’t think we played badly in either. Even against Real Madrid, the result could have been different. I am 100% convinced of these players and the way we want to play football.”
Managing the international break
With an international break looming, Flick turned his attention to player management, acknowledging the challenge of managing minutes across club and country.
“It is part of our job,” he said. “Now there is an international break and the Spanish players are usually not here when there is a break. It is important how we manage the minutes.”
Flick expressed hope that his players would also manage their minutes wisely with their respective national teams, stating, “It is important that they do so in the national teams as well,” as reported by Notimérica. The break allows players to rest and recalibrate before the club's next fixture.
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