Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has replied to Real Madrid over their letter to the RFEF regarding the state of refereeing in Spain.
Flick took the swipe this morning as he previewed tomorrow’s Copa del Rey quarter final with Valencia.
The match:
“It’s a totally different game to the one in La Liga. We’re going to give it our all. We’re going to press. They’re going to press. Everything will be different. The atmosphere, the stadium, the ambiance…”
Dani Olmo and Gavi:
“We’ll see if Olmo comes on in the second half. Gavi is not an option for tomorrow, according to protocol. It’s good to do it like this, the blow was hard.”
Frenkie de Jong:
“You always compare players. We have a game tomorrow and then another on Sunday. We’ll be back at three or four in the morning. I need all the players. Frenkie is great, and Casadó is also wonderful. It doesn’t matter who plays, everyone will give their all. That’s what’s important.”
Dani Olmo:
“He has shown, in many games, how important he is for us. He is important in the centre and in attack, he knows how to control the ball. He is very important. But we have to take care of him. We have to make sure he keeps playing. It all depends on the load he has. We have to know how he feels and adapt. We can’t have him in every game. He is important for the next games.”
Letter from Real Madrid:
“To be honest, I don’t want to talk about it. But it’s not our way of doing things, I wouldn’t do it. Every coach and club has some reasons for saying things. We are human and we make mistakes. And referees have a very hard job and we have to look after them, the situation they have is not easy.”
Valencia?
“The first game was tough, then we played again. The atmosphere was incredible. Tomorrow we will have a lot of pressure. It’s a cup match. You don’t win the title, but you can lose it and we don’t want that.”
You’re turning 60 years old:
“In my life, I often think about the situations I would like to experience. Many dreams come true, and one was to coach Barça. It’s something incredible. I like the city, it’s fantastic. The sun, the food, the weather… February and look at the temperature. But I love this club and coaching this team is fantastic. The players are unique. It’s incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like it. They love training, they love training and playing. I love watching it. I appreciate it very much. It’s a dream come true.”
Real Madrid’s complaint:
“I think I’ve said it. When I arrived I said there are no excuses, no complaints, no blame. I don’t like it. We have to win our games. We have lost some, unexpectedly, and it’s our fault. We’re seeing what we can do. We’re close, but it’s not all over yet. Sunday is a big game and we have to win it, but first there’s Valencia.”
Goalkeepers:
“(Wijciech) Szczesny is number one, clearly.
“I know that goalkeepers are compared. Iñaki (Pena) is fantastic. We chose Szczesny for his personality, and for his way of doing things, style… both are great. The youngsters do well too. We made a decision and followed it. We decided what was best for the team.”
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