Hansi Flick talks Raphinha, De Jong, Lamine, Gavi, Balde ahead of Real Betis vs Barcelona

Hansi Flick talks Raphinha, De Jong, Lamine, Gavi, Balde ahead of Real Betis vs Barcelona After ten back to back wins in all competitions to start the season, Barcelona will face their biggest test yet as they take on Real Betis away from home tomorrow. Manuel Pellegrini has already admitted stopping a free-scoring Barcelona team will be tough, but added that his team has a plan in place. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the German touched on everything from his selection dilemmas up front to the fitness of his returning stars. Flick wary of a dangerous Betis Asked whether his mind was drifting towards PSG or Real Madrid, Flick insisted his focus was solely on Manuel Pellegrini’s side. “No, the most important thing is to win tomorrow’s game. Betis are confident after winning all their home games. In the Champions League they are getting good results,” he said (h/t SPORT ). “They have fantastic players in one-on-one situations, we will have to defend very well. We are facing one of the best teams, it is incredible how they have improved compared to last season. And they already did a great job returning to the Champions League 20 years later.” Pressed on whether this represented his first big test of the campaign, Flick said he is focused on this game and is not keen on comparisons. “We’re only focused on the game against Betis. I’m not thinking about anything other than playing at our best tomorrow. Against Galatasaray we did a great job.” Flick is aware of the task at hand vs Real Betis. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images) “We defended fantastically and played our game offensively. Rodri, Pedri and Fermin did a magnificent job. We have to always be like this ,” he added. Fitness boosts for Barcelona There was positive news on the injury front, with Flick confirming Raphinha is edging closer to a return, even if the captain would happily throw himself straight back in. He did also confirm that Frenkie de Jong is back. “If I ask him, he’ll tell me he’s ready to start. We are going to go little by little and manage his minutes. The good news is that both he and Frenkie are back ,” he said. The German was also asked about the delicate task of handling Lamine Yamal’s workload. “It’s not easy to answer. Lamine is a special player. We have to manage his minutes, for him the most important thing is that he enjoys playing football.” “At the moment it is like that and I do not want to interrupt this situation. But it is clear that we have to manage the minutes of all the players ,” he added. The centre-forward conundrum With Barcelona still seeking solutions in the number nine role, Flick was quizzed on the suitability of Dani Olmo in the position. “We have to find solutions and that’s what we’re doing. Olmo is an incredible player and person. For me it’s the combination of skill, football and character. “I really appreciate what I see from him on and off the pitch. He always gives it his all. He has improved a lot physically in recent months ,” he said. “It’s at a ‘top’ level and gives us a lot of things. It is very good to have him, also for the position of ‘9’. He has shown many times that he can play in this position ,” he added. Fermin Lopez was also floated as an option through the middle, and Flick welcomed the versatility. “Yes, he can play there too. He also helps us by appearing from the second line, like when he scored against Galatasaray.” “Dani [Olmo] is not scoring so many goals, but he is helping us a lot. To have to choose between these two players is fantastic ,” he said. Rotation, Balde and the de Jong experiment On the difficult situation facing Alejandro Balde, who has slipped down the pecking order, Flick offered a rather pragmatic response. “I know it’s not being easy for him, but he’s training well. In this position, with Espart and Cancelo, we have two players at an incredible level. Here’s what I can say.” “I am happy about this situation. Obviously, for him it is not easy. But he’s being very professional and that’s what I want ,” he said. “In these situations you have to show that you are ready for when you need it. And it is doing so ,” he added. The German also confirmed he has been trialling Frenkie de Jong in an unfamiliar centre-back role. “We’ve tried it in some five-on-five situations. I see him very focused on training, 100% committed to showing that he can help us. He is a top player who will give us one more alternative.” De Jong is trialed in the centre-back position, confirms Flick. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) “It’s not easy for footballers, but for me it’s easier to have options to choose from. As I said before, the important thing in these cases is that the players who don’t start fight to be available ,” he revealed. Gavi, overlooked by Spain in the last international break, earned warm praise for his attitude. “He wasn’t called up from the Spanish national team and he was a bit sad, but he’s very professional and every day he wants to be better. He stayed here training very well.” “In intensity and concentration, he is at a great level. He is the heart of this team. He gives everything for this club and we need him. He is a top player when he is at 100%. It’s a great option for us ,” Flick said. Nod to Abde and the fixture pile-up With Betis forward Ez Abde in excellent form, Flick was happy to acknowledge his qualities, if a little reluctant to dwell on an opponent. “He’s a fantastic player. I’m really impressed by how he’s playing and his confidence in one-on-ones. He scored an incredible goal.” “I don’t want to talk too much about players from other clubs, but what I can say is that he is at a great level ,” he said. Finally, on Barcelona’s punishing schedule, the German reiterated his unwavering faith in his squad. “We have this situation every season. For us it is like that. In the last two seasons we have experienced situations of great wear and tear.” “We can’t change this situation, what’s in our power is to be at a good level on the pitch. I repeat it in every press conference and maybe I’m very boring, but I blindly trust my squad. We cannot change the calendar. We have to accept it ,” he concluded.