Clash at the Bernabéu: Barca Ready for Real Madrid as Flick Sits Out Clasico
25 October 2025
Context and Stakes
Marcus Sorg, Barcelona’s assistant coach under Hans Flick, said the team is fully prepared to face Real Madrid in the highly anticipated Clasico tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabéu, stressing that the atmosphere there makes anything possible in football.
According to Marca, Sorg spoke at the pre-match press conference held this afternoon in Flick’s stead, addressing player condition, the importance of the match, the impact of the German coach’s absence, and his view on refereeing and the behavior of some opponents like Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé.
Flick was sent off late in Barcelona’s La Liga game against Girona, which means he’ll miss the Clasico as the Barça coach, a decision by the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee.
Team News, Tactics, and Mindset
Sorg began by saying: “It’s an honor to be on the bench tomorrow; it’s a special occasion. We expect a very tough match, and we must show our strengths, like high pressing.”
On Rafinha and Ferran Torres: “Every team would love to have Rafinha, but he’s injured. We’ll see if Ferran starts; we’ll decide tomorrow.”
Regarding Flick’s absence: “When Flick isn’t with us, we miss him a lot; he is the team’s most important part. It’s like missing a player; we must give 100% and handle the situation the best we can.”
On Lamine Yamal: “He is a top-class player, and the match will be a big stimulus for him. We hope to see him at his best tomorrow.”
About Jules Koundé: “Koundé has trained well; we’ll see him after the final training session, and if he’s ready he will play. We have a clear plan for the match.”
On refereeing: “We must focus on the game; we all make mistakes. Focus on our game, not on things we can’t control.”
On the high defensive line: “We must do things right, press with and without the ball, lift the back line when needed… but we won’t change our approach because that wouldn’t help.”
On Clasico chances: “In these matches, odds are 50-50. Whoever performs better on the pitch will win.”
On Flick’s presence: “Having Flick is very important; players trust him and feel safe, and his absence is a barrier for us.”
On communication with Flick: “As always, he’s excited and in good spirits, and that’s what we need ahead of the Clasico.”
On repeating the same lineup: “It’s good to play with the same lineup, but we have many players, injuries, and back-to-back games, so sometimes we must rotate; you can’t use the same names in 60 matches.”
Sorg on Real Madrid: “Real Madrid have excellent attacking transitions like last season; the biggest challenge is dealing with their frontline, as everyone there presses hard.”
On Bernabéu atmosphere and refereeing: “At the Bernabéu you never know what can happen; emotions run high. We are prepared for all possibilities.”
Recalling last season’s memory: “Until halftime it was 0-0; we performed well in transitions, but we must avoid losing the ball. We must be careful, press well, play as a unit, and keep the ball; if we do that we can win.”
On Lamine Yamal vs Álvaro Carrera: “Lamine is always fired up. We have won all three games against Benfica, which gives him confidence.”
On tracking Vinícius: “We discussed the behavior of opponents’ attackers as we always do; players are ready to handle Vinícius and Mbappé.”
Sorg’s closing on possession: “We analyzed games; if we lose the ball, we must learn from it. We’ve worked on solutions, and we must ensure we don’t lose the ball easily.”
Clasico Struggles
The 2024-2025 season was a nightmare for Real Madrid in Clasico clashes with Barcelona across competitions; Madrid failed to win any, while Barca claimed three direct trophies in their favor.
In La Liga, the teams met for the first time last season in Round 11 on 26 October, and Barcelona won decisively 4-0, marking Flick’s first Clasico as Barça’s coach against the veteran Carlo Ancelotti, who had previously won four consecutive Clasico fixtures.
Punchline: If this Clasico were a sniper’s joke, the target would be the net—and the only safety net is the ball itself. And if football were a stand-up routine, the Bernabéu audience would demand a two-hour encore after the final whistle.
