Flick talks Raphinha, Lamine, Cubarsi, De Jong, Balde, centre-back signing ahead of Barcelona vs Alaves

Flick talks Raphinha, Lamine, Cubarsi, De Jong, Balde, centre-back signing ahead of Barcelona vs Alaves After back-to-back defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, Barcelona return to action tomorrow in La Liga when they host Deportivo Alaves in La Liga. Having seen their winning start to the season come to an end in a massively disappointing week, the Blaugrana will be eager to bounce back to winning ways and secure all three points at the Spotify Camp Nou. Ahead of tomorrow’s contest, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick spoke to the media in his press conference, addressing several matters, including the team’s recent form and injuries. Before getting into it, though, the German tactician offered his condolences to those affected by the train crash in Madrid. “I want to send our condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy. Our thoughts are with the families going through this difficult time. We send them our energy and love,” he said. On the squad and injuries The Barcelona manager then expressed his displeasure over the situation surrounding captain Raphinha and his call-up to the Brazil national team only a couple of weeks after he returned from an injury sustained during the previous international break. “It’s a topic I’ve discussed with Deco . He’s a very important player. After the last international break, he arrived injured. It wasn’t the best situation. But that’s how it is. There’s nothing we can do,” he said. “I know Rapha is captain here, but he’s also Brazilian, and when his national team calls him up, he’s there. After the World Cup , there’s a new situation. Everyone wants to be there to help,” Flick added. Barcelona unhappy over Raphinha’s Brazil call-up. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images) “For me, if we can manage his playing time a bit, I’ll be happy. Going back and forth to Singapore isn’t ideal. It’s not something I can control or change.” Regarding the team’s recent performances and the areas which need to be improved upon, Flick explained: “As I always say, it’s a long road to the end of the season, when you can win titles. Nothing bad has happened. “We lost against Real Madrid, and nobody liked it. But in the end, we have to deal with it. It was possible to win the game; we had great chances. We have to accept the defeat and learn from it.” Regarding the absences in the squad, Flick added: “Jules, Xavi Espart, Dani Olmo, Eric, Christensen… are all out. A lot of defenders. It’s not easy; we have to find solutions. “We tried to give our best. For tomorrow, it’s clear: the most important thing is to get the three points.” Ebrima Tunkara was one of the youngsters who trained with the senior team today, and on being asked if the 16-year-old gem was ready to make his debut, Flick said: “He’s coming back from injury, but he’s played minutes with Barça Atletic. He did pre-season with us and I liked what I saw from him. He’s here and he’s doing well in training. Anything can happen.” On whether Brian Farinas is an option to fill in at right-back amidst the injury problems, Flick acknowledged: “Farinas is an option to play as a full-back. He’s very intelligent. He’s been training with us from the beginning. He’s done a fantastic job. The time has come for him to play.” On the Ballon d’Or The Ballon d’Or ceremony took place this past Monday, with Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal coming up third in the final ranking as Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane went on to win the top honour. And, Flick congratulated the England captain, stating that he was a deserved winner, while giving his opinion on Lamine’s third-place finish. “Kane deserved it. You know my opinion of Lamine; he’s at the level to win this award,” he said. Lamine dedicated his Kopa Trophy prize to Cubarsi. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images) The Barcelona head coach went on to praise Lamine for dedicating his Kopa Trophy win to Pau Cubarsi, saying: “What I see is—and I told him and the team this—what he said about Cubarsí was great. Pau deserved it. Lamine won the last two years. Cubarsí played an incredible season and had an excellent World Cup. “I feel very proud of Lamine. He reacted very well, in my opinion. In training, he was focused. That’s how academy players respond. His mentality is very good for the team. We accept it; I’m happy it’s over, and now we can focus on important things.” On the team’s defence and plans for a new centre-back Flick then directly addressed recent rumours suggesting that Barcelona were planning to sign a new central defender in January in light of the recent results and mounting injuries. “I said it during the transfer window, we always talk about what’s best for the team, how we can improve it. It’s something we’re working on. We’ll see. We have a few weeks left before the transfer window opens,” he said. “We’ve discussed it with Deco , Bojan , and my staff. That’s how we do things. If we can, maybe we will.” Regarding the team’s style of play and the high defensive line that has attracted some criticism, Flick explained: “Defending isn’t just a job for the defenders; everyone is involved. First, we can’t afford to lose possession easily like we did against Real Madrid. It’s not good. It’s not the quality we usually have. I already said that perhaps we weren’t very fresh. “We need to play with more concentration. And when it’s time to defend in the box, it’s important to mark the opponent. We weren’t very good at that. We have to improve. We’re training this and talking to the players about it. We have to manage it.” Regarding Rodri’s comments about Barcelona needing to control matches better, Flick admitted: “It’s something we’re used to. We need to control matches, have more possession, and fewer turnovers. That’s the key. You have to decide how to move the ball and the opponent. It’s good not to lose possession, otherwise you have to chase it. “We need to improve on this. The way forward is to make fewer mistakes. We need to stay calm and play with more control.” On De Jong and Balde’s roles Flick also addressed the predicament of two players who were key for him not very long ago, but find themselves in difficult situations this season – Frenkie de Jong and Alejandro Balde. De Jong made his first appearance after returning from injury against Real Madrid and Flick backed the midfielder to become important, saying: “I’m speaking from my perspective. I’m completely convinced of him. When he’s at 100%, he’s an incredible player. He has a lot of quality, a good attitude, and a great mentality. He’s a great player, and he raises our level.” Flick believes De Jong will be crucial for Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Regarding the possibility of using the Dutchman at centre-back, Flick replied: “I said we need to manage who plays centre-back. Right now we have Gerard and Cubarsi. “It’s a tough time for them. It’s important to find solutions. Frenkie can play in different positions. He can play centre-back.” On the situation of Balde, who has fallen out of favour this season, Flick’s comments did not appear as encouraging, as he said: “Balde doesn’t have the confidence he needs to play, the conviction to attack and press high. The full-backs are very important for us, in our style of play. He needs confidence to reach his best level.” Concluding, Flick made it abundantly clear that he continues to enjoy the full backing and support of the Barcelona board, despite the defeats to PSG and Real Madrid sparking some criticism. “I spoke with the president and Deco. It’s great. I know the situation. We’ve lost two games in a week, but I have complete confidence in my team. Nothing has changed. I don’t see any lack of mentality. I’m very happy to be here. Nothing has changed. “We won the first 11 games, now we’ve lost two, and we have to get back to winning ways. That’s our job. I’m totally convinced of our style of play. We’ll stick with it until the end. That’s the most important thing, to be convinced of our approach.” Source: Mundo Deportivo