Barca's Injury Storm: Flick Vows to Fight On Through May, No Excuses

Injury pressure meets a fight to May

Hansi Flick, the Barcelona manager, said his team is currently paying the price for a number of key injuries, but he stressed that the title race in La Liga remains wide open and that Barca will keep fighting until the season ends in May.

According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Flick spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona's game against Celta Vigo, noting that their rival is in a better patch at the moment and urging his players to apply everything discussed in the locker room to the pitch.

“Celta Vigo is in a great moment, they’ve won four in a row and have greater dynamism than us right now, but everything will depend on how we enter the game. I’ve talked to the players about this; we desperately need the three points,” Flick said.

Regarding the support from the club president, Flick added: “Presidential backing is always important. We’ve talked a lot about the current situation, and we need more confidence. In Bruges we saw our defensive line sometimes too deep and attackers too distant from danger zones. We must be more cohesive with or without the ball, and that’s what we’re missing at the moment. We’ve discussed it, and I hope we apply it better tomorrow.”

Asked about the players’ commitment and belief in the project as in the previous season, Flick answered with conviction: “I’m convinced they know exactly what to do.”

Flick then compared his current Barcelona experience with his second season at Bayern Munich, saying: “It’s easy to compare and talk, but I don’t want to talk about Bayern here—because we also won the league in that second season there. I’m not looking for excuses; injuries are real and we’re managing them the best we can.”

He added: “We’d have liked more points, but we left Bruges with a draw, and we’re now five points behind Real Madrid in the league. We must keep working until May, the road is long. Players understand we must play much better. When everyone returns in two or three games, we’ll be at our best. They’ll help us a lot. Until then, we must keep fighting; we didn’t show that spirit against Bruges on Wednesday.”

Speaking about Barca’s defensive status before the Sevilla game, Flick said: “Eric Garcia can play and is fine with the protective mask. Jules Koundé didn’t complete training, and I have doubts about his involvement tomorrow. I don’t think he’ll make it, but we’ll wait until the last moment.”

He also addressed the commitment seen in the last campaigns, noting: “The situation is completely different from last season. People talk about Bruges, but the players know what happened there; we’ve discussed everything that happened on the pitch. Now we must see that work reflected on the field.”

On Barca’s return to their historic home, the Camp Nou, Flick expressed optimism: “I hope so. If you look at history, it’s always been that way. The stadium is incredible, and I felt wonderful vibes yesterday. For the future, and for the club, that’s what matters. I commend everyone involved in this project.”

Regarding young goalkeeper Juan Garcia’s potential inclusion, Flick stated: “We’re happy with his progress and performance, but we’ll wait after the international break.”

He also denied discussing load management with national-team coaches: “No, we didn’t talk about that.”

When asked about missing Gavi, he sighed: “It’s painful to think he could have been with us; he’s a very important player for us. His personality and attitude are exemplary. I’d be happy for his return, for him personally and for the club, but we must wait.”

As for young star Lamine Yamal, Flick said: “Lamine trains every day to improve; he’s more disciplined now and must maintain consistency as he recovers from injury. He’s getting better physically and is in daily rehabilitation, which is crucial for his condition. He’s close to his best but not there yet, and we must protect him. The national team is also managing him.”

Flick finished by stressing that what is said in private must translate into on-field performances: “Everything we discuss must show up on the pitch; words alone aren’t enough. We need real results and players’ commitment.”

Punchline time: If injuries were a transfer, Barca would have signed every player in the market by now. And if the calendar could talk, it would say, “May, please—no more drama, just results.”