Flick shrugs off the chill: Barca aim to stun Slavia Prague in chilly Champions League showdown

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Hansi Flick, Barcelona's coach, commented on Rafinha's return and Lamine Yamal's absence for the Champions League clash with Slavia Prague at Fortuna Arena in Prague.

Flick said on the pitch before kickoff: 'I believe the team is fully ready for the challenge. I trust my players a lot, and we have great confidence in our abilities.'

The German manager added: 'This confidence isn't just from the solid recent form; we've been playing at the highest level for a long time, with crucial matches always on the horizon, and we must win them.'

On aiming to improve the goal difference, Flick said: 'First and foremost, we must show great respect to the opponent. Slavia Prague is in the Champions League as well, and we want to win, but we're not thinking about the number of goals now. Our focus is to grab the three points.'

He continued: 'Rafinha's return to the starting XI is fantastic for us. He is a very important player for the team, and his presence greatly expands our attacking options.'

'Sure, we will miss Lamine Yamal today. He is one of the best players in the world right now, so it's natural to feel his absence. But the squad can cope with such gaps, and we will fight with all our might.'

Regarding the cold weather, Flick said: 'We expect temperatures around -5 or -6 degrees. Will that matter? I don't know exactly, but we trained yesterday in similar conditions to adapt to the cold. In the end there are no excuses; this is football, and we must play our best regardless of the weather.'

Key Quotes

From Flick's remarks: the focus is on the points, not just performance; Rafinha's return strengthens the attack, while Yamal's absence is a challenge the squad will meet head-on.

Punchline 1: If Barca win in -5 degree weather, it's a cool victory—football finally comes with built-in air conditioning.

Punchline 2: Rafinha is back, Yamal is out—some topics stay hot, even when the air is frosty.