Flick: We Focus on Ourselves and Aim to Win Every Match

Hans Flick, the head coach of FC Barcelona, held his press conference ahead of the match against Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league. He addressed the return to the Spotify Camp Nou stadium, injury management within the team, and the players' performance. His statements were as follows:

Regarding the return to Spotify Camp Nou, Flick said: "Of course, we prefer playing at Spotify Camp Nou. We saw it during the open training session, and it was a great experience. The fans are close and know that the team needs their support, and they always help us. It's wonderful to see this bond between the team and the fans."

He added, "Everyone is excited to return home. The opponent is performing well this season, and this is an excellent opportunity to assess our position."

Regarding De Jong and Pedri, he continued: "We know how we want to compensate for De Jong's absence, and we will see tomorrow. Frenkie, like Pedri, are two wonderful players who give us great confidence, but we have to manage this absence, and I believe we will do so well."

He added: "Pedri is developing well, we are not putting pressure on him, and we hope he returns soon, whether against Chelsea or in a later match."

Regarding Messi and Juan Garcia, he confirmed: "Why wouldn't we coach Messi? Messi has been the best player over the past ten years. I've always enjoyed watching him play, and he would be perfect for any team. His contract ends in 2028, and mine ends in 2027. It's not a matter that needs discussion right now."

He continued: "Juan Garcia will be a starter tomorrow, yes, you are right."

Regarding injuries and player returns: "Marcus Rashford has a fever and missed yesterday and today, and I have doubts about his participation tomorrow. But the good news is that Raphinha will return, and we'll see what he can contribute—ten or fifteen minutes."

He added: "Lamine Yamal is our player, and we care about him just as the federation does. It was a good decision for him not to play in the last two matches. It was an important step for him to manage his injury properly. He has worked hard during these two weeks and is handling the situation well with the medical staff."

Regarding the pressure on Real Madrid and the competition in the league: "We take it one match at a time, that's what we want to do. We know the road is long, and just like we did last season, we should never doubt what we want to achieve and how we want to play. Real Madrid is a great team, but there are other teams like Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, and these teams are strong as well. We have to focus on ourselves and give our best in every game."